Device for mixing powder and 3D printer

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of metal 3D printers, in particular to a powder mixing device which comprises a coarse mixing assembly and a fine mixing assembly. The coarse mixing assembly comprises multiple groups of material pipes, first flexible pipes, multiple gathering hoppers and first vibration pieces, each group of material pipes comprises multiple material pipes, the top ends of the material pipes are used for guiding metal powder, the bottom ends of the material pipes are gathered into the gathering hoppers through the first flexible pipes, each gathering hopper corresponds to one group of material pipes, and the first vibration pieces are arranged on the first flexible pipes; the first vibration parts are arranged on the material pipes, each first vibration part corresponds to each group of material pipes in a one-to-one mode, and the first vibration parts are used for controlling vibration of the corresponding group of material pipes; the bottom end of the material gathering hopper is in butt joint with the fine mixing assembly, and the fine mixing assembly is used for conducting secondary mixing on the metal powder mixed through the material gathering hopper. The device has the effects that the device can be conveniently integrated on the 3D printer, and the mixing uniformity and efficiency are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of metal 3D printers, and in particular to a device for mixing powders and a 3D printer. Background Art

[0002] 3D metal printer is a scientific instrument used in the fields of physics, engineering and technology science, and mechanical engineering. It uses laser melting technology to melt metal powder to form functional solid parts. It is a fully digital rapid prototyping manufacturing process. It directly produces full high-density metal parts based on the interface data of the three-dimensional CAD layer. The thickness of the melted metal layer ranges from 20 microns to 100 microns, and metal is rapidly formed. When manufacturing parts, the 3D printer needs to mix the metal powder first, then transport and lay it in the molding cylinder, use a scraper to evenly distribute the metal powder layer, and then melt each metal layer separately in a strictly controlled air environment to finally obtain a solid part.

[0003] However, in the related art, when mixing metal powders, a separate powder mixing device is often used to mix the powders by rotating and stirring, or the air flow is blown out by the fan of the device to drive the powders to mix in a closed environment. This is not convenient for integration into a 3D printer, and the mixing uniformity and efficiency are poor. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to facilitate integration into a 3D printer and improve mixing uniformity and efficiency, the present application provides a device for mixing powders and a 3D printer.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a device for mixing powders using the following technical solution: A device for mixing powders, comprising a rough mixing component and a fine mixing component; The rough mixing assembly includes a material pipe, a first flexible pipe, a collecting hopper and a first vibrating member. The material pipes are provided in multiple groups, each group of the material pipes has multiple pipes, the top of the material pipe is used to introduce metal powder, the bottom of the material pipe is gathered into the collecting hopper through the first flexible pipe, the collecting hopper is provided in multiple groups, each of the collecting hoppers corresponds to a group of material pipes, the first vibrating member is provided on the material pipe and there are multiple of them, each of the first vibrating member is provided in one-to-one correspondence with each group of material pipes, and the first vibrating member is used to control the vibration of the corresponding group of material pipes; The bottom end of the aggregate hopper is connected to the fine mixing component, and the fine mixing component is used to perform secondary mixing on the metal powder mixed by the aggregate hopper. The fine mixing component includes a mounting frame, and the mounting frame is installed on the metal 3D printer.

[0006] By adopting the above technical solution, the aggregate hopper can roughly mix each group of metal powders, and the first vibrating member assists the metal powders to fall from the material tube, which helps to improve the mixing efficiency; after the metal powders are roughly mixed by the aggregate hopper, they are further mixed by the fine mixing component, and the double mixing helps to improve the mixing uniformity; and through the setting of the first flexible tube, it can be used in conjunction with the first vibrating member; at the same time, the rigid connection is converted into a flexible connection, which also increases the service life of the equipment. In addition, the device for mixing powders of the present application is easy to be integrated into a metal 3D printer through a mounting frame.

[0007] Optionally, the fine mixing assembly also includes a powder mixing tank, a second flexible tube and a second vibrating member; the powder mixing tank is arranged on a mounting frame and is arranged corresponding to the gathering hopper, both ends of the powder mixing tank are flexibly connected to the mounting frame, the top end of the powder mixing tank is connected to the bottom end of the gathering hopper, and the bottom end of the powder mixing tank is connected to the second flexible tube; the second vibrating member is arranged on the mounting frame.

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, the metal powder roughly mixed by the aggregate hopper enters the powder mixing tank, and under the action of the second vibrator, the mounting frame is driven to vibrate, and then the powder mixing tank is driven to vibrate, so that the metal powder roughly mixed by the aggregate hopper in the powder mixing tank is further mixed, and the mixing uniformity and consistency are improved. The second flexible pipe can be used in conjunction with the second vibrator to convert the rigid connection into a flexible connection, further increasing the service life of the equipment.

[0009] Optionally, the first vibrating member is a first vibrating motor, and the first vibrating member is fixed to the material tube through a mounting assembly; The number of the installation components is the same as the number of the first vibrating members. The installation components include a fixing plate and a fixing clamp. Each group of the material pipes is connected to the same fixing plate through a corresponding fixing clamp, and the first vibrating member is fixedly installed on the corresponding fixing plate.

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution, each first vibration motor corresponds to a group of material pipes through a fixed plate, is responsible for the synchronous vibration of the corresponding group of material pipes, and is fixed by a fixed clamp. The overall structure of the installation component is simple and compact, which is convenient for realizing vibration feeding of multiple material pipes.

[0011] Optionally, the mounting frame includes a vibration plate, two vertical plates and two horizontal plates, the vertical plates and the horizontal plates are sequentially connected to form a frame structure, and the powder mixing tank is arranged in the frame structure; Mounting side ears are fixedly connected to the side walls of the two vertical plates that are away from each other, and shock-absorbing pads are fixedly connected to the bottom surfaces of the mounting side ears; The two ends of the vibration plate are respectively fixedly connected to the two vertical plates, and the second vibration member is a second vibration motor, which is fixedly installed on the vibration plate.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, after the metal powder enters the powder mixing tank, the second vibrator transmits the vibration to the mounting frame through the vibration plate, thereby realizing secondary mixing of the metal powder in all the powder mixing tanks. The installation of the side ears facilitates the connection and integration with the metal 3D printer, and the shock-absorbing pad plays a shock-absorbing role.

[0013] Optionally, both ends of the powder mixing tank are fixedly connected with flexible sleeves, and the two ends of the powder mixing tank are respectively connected with the gathering hopper and the second flexible pipe through the flexible sleeves; The horizontal plate includes a first unit plate and a second unit plate arranged in parallel, the ends of the first unit plate and the second unit plate are detachably connected to the end surface of the vertical plate by bolts, and the horizontal plate is provided with an installation groove for the flexible sleeve to pass through, and the installation groove is located on both the first unit plate and the second unit plate.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution and setting the flexible sleeve, it is easy to realize the flexible connection between the powder mixing tank and the mounting frame. When installing the mounting frame, first move the first unit plate and the second unit plate in a direction close to each other until the flexible sleeves at both ends of the powder mixing tank pass through the mounting grooves, and then fix both ends of the first unit plate and the second unit plate on the vertical plate, so that the installation operation is simple and convenient.

[0015] Optionally, a limiting boss is provided on the flexible sleeve, and the plate surfaces of the first unit plate and the second unit plate abut against the limiting boss.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, the setting of the limiting boss can, on the one hand, position the cross plate to facilitate the coordinated installation of the first unit plate and the second unit plate; on the other hand, it can limit the vertical direction of the cross plate, thereby improving the relative installation stability of the mounting frame and the powder mixing tank under long-term vibration.

[0017] Optionally, a plurality of reinforcing ribs are arranged on one side of the two transverse plates close to each other, the reinforcing ribs and the powder mixing tank are arranged in sequence and spaced apart, and the same reinforcing rib is detachably connected to the first unit plate and the second unit plate by bolts.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, since the mounting frame and the powder mixing tank are often in a state of continuous vibration, the provision of reinforcing ribs can, on the one hand, improve the stability of the overall structure of the transverse plate, and on the other hand, fix the shape of the mounting groove, thereby stabilizing the clamping connection between the transverse plate and the flexible sleeve, facilitating the long-term use of the overall device.

[0019] Optionally, it also includes a powder transfer mechanism and a transfer bottle, wherein the powder transfer mechanism includes a first lifting plate, a powder taking cylinder, a transfer bottle and a sealing structure; The first lifting plate is lifted and arranged on the metal 3D printer, the number of the powder collecting cylinders is set corresponding to the number of the second flexible tubes, the powder collecting cylinders are fixedly installed on the first lifting plate, the top end of the powder collecting cylinders is correspondingly located directly below the second flexible tube, and the bottom end of the powder collecting cylinders passes through the first lifting plate and then docks with the transport bottle through a sealing structure; A first driving rod is fixedly arranged in the powder collecting cylinder, and a blocking piston is fixedly connected to the top end of the first driving rod. The blocking piston can rise with the first lifting plate to block the connection between the top end of the second flexible tube and the powder mixing tank, and at this time the sealing structure is closed; the bottom end of the first driving rod can descend with the first lifting plate to cooperate with the sealing structure, and at this time the sealing structure is opened.

[0020] Through the above technical solution, after the metal powder is evenly mixed in the powder mixing tank, the first lifting plate is lowered, thereby causing the first driving rod to descend, and the bottom end of the first driving rod is lowered to cooperate with the sealing structure to open the sealing structure. At this time, the metal powder passes through the second flexible tube, the powder taking tube and the sealing structure in sequence from the powder mixing tank, and then enters the transport bottle. When the transport bottle finishes taking powder, the lifting plate rises to reset, and the blocking piston rises with the first lifting plate to block the connection between the top of the second flexible tube and the powder mixing tank. The metal powder continues to be stored in the powder mixing tank, and the sealing structure is also reset to re-closed, so that the metal powder in the transport bottle is sealed, reducing the metal powder from flying out, thereby reducing safety hazards.

[0021] Optionally, the sealing structure includes a connecting plate, a lower material bin, a sealing plug and a reset spring, the connecting plate is connected to the metal 3D printer, the lower material bin is fixedly arranged above the connecting plate, the transport bottle is threadedly connected to the bottom surface of the connecting plate, and the opening at the top of the transport bottle passes through the connecting plate and is connected to the opening at the bottom end of the lower material bin; The top of the lower material bin is conical and is used to dock with the bottom of the powder taking cylinder. The top of the lower material bin is fixedly connected to a limiting cylinder through a support plate. The sealing plug is arranged in the lower material bin. A lifting rod is fixedly connected to the sealing plug. The top of the lifting rod is fixedly connected to a movable plug. The movable plug is located in the limiting cylinder. The return spring is sleeved on the lifting rod, the bottom end of the return spring is fixedly connected to the inside of the sealing plug, and the side wall of the return spring close to the upper end is fixedly connected to the inside of the lower bin through a connecting piece; The bottom end of the first driving rod can be lowered with the first lifting plate to abut against the movable plug and push the sealing plug downward to form a channel connecting the lower material bin and the transfer bottle; when the blocking piston rises with the first lifting plate to block the connection between the top end of the second flexible tube and the powder mixing tank, the sealing plug is reset, and at this time, the sealing plug blocks the opening at the bottom end of the lower material bin.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, the process of the first driving rod and the sealing structure in cooperation is as follows: the bottom end of the first driving rod descends to push the movable plug, and the movable plug descends in the limit tube. At this time, the reset spring stretches, the lifting rod and the sealing plug descend together, and a channel is formed between the sealing plug and the lower material bin. The channel is connected to the bottle mouth of the transport bottle, and the metal powder enters the lower material bin from the second flexible tube, and then falls into the transport bottle along the edge of the sealing plug, that is, the position where the channel is formed between the sealing plug and the lower material bin, to achieve the material collection of the mixed powder. After the material collection is completed, the first driving rod rises, and under the action of the reset spring, the movable plug, the lifting rod and the sealing plug rise together to reset, and the sealing structure is restored from the open state to the sealed state, so as to achieve the sealing of the metal powder in the transport bottle. At this time, the connecting plate can be removed through the subsequent process, and then the transport bottle can be moved to the specified position, and the mixed metal powder in the transport bottle can be taken out for subsequent processing. After the transport bottle on each connecting plate is removed, the transport bottle on the next connecting plate is moved to the bottom of the powder taking barrel through the subsequent process, so as to achieve intermittent continuous material collection.

[0023] In the second aspect, the metal 3D printer provided in this application adopts the following technical solution: A metal 3D printer comprises the above-mentioned device for mixing powders.

[0024] In summary, the present application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: 1. The aggregate hopper can roughly mix each group of metal powders, and the first vibrating member assists the metal powders to fall from the material tube, which helps to improve the mixing efficiency; after the metal powders are roughly mixed by the aggregate hopper, they are further mixed by the fine mixing component, and the double mixing helps to improve the mixing uniformity; in addition, the device for mixing powders of the present application can be easily integrated into the metal 3D printer through the mounting frame; 2. The arrangement of the first flexible tube, the second flexible tube and the flexible sleeve can cooperate with the use of the first vibration component and the second vibration component to convert the rigid connection into a flexible connection, thereby increasing the service life of the equipment; and the mounting frame includes a horizontal plate, a vertical plate and a reinforcing rib, and the horizontal plate includes a first unit plate and a second unit plate. The overall structure of the mounting frame is simple, stable, and easy to install; 3. Through the lifting and lowering of the first driving rod, the functions of material storage in the powder mixing tank, sealing of the sealing structure, material discharge from the powder mixing tank, and opening of the sealing structure can be taken into account. The structure is simple and ingenious; and the transfer bottle is easy to install. After the transfer bottle on each connecting plate has completed the material taking, the transfer bottle on the next connecting plate can continue to take the material intermittently, which is highly efficient; through the automatic sealing of the sealing structure, even if the bottle mouth of the transfer bottle is facing downward, there will be no leakage of metal powder, which can reduce the potential safety hazards. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a device for mixing powders according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0026] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram used to demonstrate the external material path system in the embodiment of the present application.

[0027] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram used to show the installation relationship between the mounting frame and the powder mixing tank in the embodiment of the present application.

[0028] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram for displaying the mounting frame in the embodiment of the present application.

[0029] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram used to demonstrate the powder transfer mechanism in the embodiment of the present application.

[0030] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram used to display the transfer bottle in the embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sealing plug used to illustrate the embodiment of the present application.

[0032] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram used to show the interior of the sealing structure in the embodiment of the present application.

[0033] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the structure used to show the interior of the sealing plug in the embodiment of the present application.

[0034] Fig.10 It is a structural schematic diagram used to show the top of the lower silo in the embodiment of the present application.

[0035] Explanation of reference numerals: 1. Rough mixing assembly; 11. Material pipe; 12. First flexible pipe; 13. Aggregating hopper; 14. First vibrating member; 15. Fixed plate; 16. Fixed clamp; 2. Fine mixing assembly; 21. Mounting frame; 211. Vibrating plate; 212. Vertical plate; 213. Horizontal plate; 2131. First unit plate; 2132. Second unit plate; 2133. Mounting groove; 214. Mounting side ear; 215. Shock-absorbing pad; 216. Reinforcement rib; 22. Powder mixing tank; 221. Flexible sleeve; 222. Position limiting boss; 23. Second flexible Tube; 24, second vibrating member; 3, powder transfer mechanism; 31, convex plate; 311, lifting cylinder; 32, first lifting plate; 33, powder taking tube; 331, first driving rod; 332, blocking piston; 4, transfer bottle; 41, connecting plate; 5, sealing structure; 51, unloading bin; 511, support plate; 52, sealing plug; 521, lifting hole; 53, reset spring; 54, limiting cylinder; 55, lifting rod; 551, thick rod; 552, thin rod; 56, movable plug; 6, first sealing ring; 7, second sealing ring; 8, third sealing ring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The following is combined with Figure 1-10 This application is described in further detail.

[0037] In a first aspect, the present application discloses a device for mixing powders, referring to Figure 1-3 , the device for mixing powders includes a rough mixing component 1, a fine mixing component 2, a powder transfer mechanism 3 and a transport bottle 4. The rough mixing component 1 includes a material pipe 11, a first flexible tube 12, a collecting hopper 13 and a first vibrating member 14. The material pipe 11 is provided in multiple groups, and each group of material pipes 11 has multiple tubes. In the embodiment of the present application, the material pipes 11 are in an inverted trapezoidal array with 25 tubes, which are divided into 5 groups, and each group of material pipes 11 has 5 tubes. The top of the material pipe 11 is used to introduce metal powder, and the bottom of the material pipe 11 is converged into the collecting hopper 13 through the first flexible tube 12. There are 5 collecting hoppers 13, and each collecting hopper 13 corresponds to a group of material pipes 11. The first vibrating member 14 is provided on the material pipe 11 and there are 5 of them. Each first vibrating member 14 is provided in one-to-one correspondence with each group of material pipes 11, and the first vibrating member 14 is used to control the vibration of the corresponding group of material pipes 11. The bottom end of the aggregate hopper 13 is connected to the fine mixing component 2 , and the fine mixing component 2 is used for secondary mixing of the metal powder mixed by the aggregate hopper 13 .

[0038] The aggregate hopper 13 can roughly mix each group of metal powders, and the first vibrating member 14 assists the metal powders to fall from the material pipe 11, which helps to improve the mixing efficiency; after the metal powders are roughly mixed by the aggregate hopper 13, they are further mixed by the fine mixing component 2, and the double mixing helps to improve the mixing uniformity; and through the setting of the first flexible tube 12, it can cooperate with the use of the first vibrating member 14; at the same time, the rigid connection is converted into a flexible connection, which also increases the service life of the equipment.

[0039] Reference Figure 2-4 The fine mixing assembly 2 includes a mounting frame 21, a powder mixing tank 22, a second flexible tube 23 and a second vibrating member 24. The mounting frame 21 is mounted on the metal 3D printer. The powder mixing tank 22 is arranged on the mounting frame 21 and is arranged corresponding to the material collecting hopper 13. Both ends of the powder mixing tank 22 are flexibly connected to the mounting frame 21. The top end of the powder mixing tank 22 is connected to the bottom end of the material collecting hopper 13, and the bottom end of the powder mixing tank 22 is connected to the second flexible tube 23. The second vibrating member 24 is arranged on the mounting frame 21.

[0040] The device for mixing powders of the present application is convenient to be integrated into a metal 3D printer through a mounting frame 21. The metal powder roughly mixed by the aggregate hopper 13 enters the powder mixing tank 22. Under the action of the second vibrator 24, the mounting frame 21 is driven to vibrate, and then the powder mixing tank 22 is driven to vibrate, thereby further mixing the metal powder roughly mixed by the aggregate hopper 13 in the powder mixing tank 22, and improving the mixing uniformity and consistency. The setting of the second flexible tube 23 can cooperate with the use of the second vibrator 24 to convert the rigid connection into a flexible connection, further increasing the service life of the equipment.

[0041] The first vibrating member 14 is a first vibration motor, and the first vibrating member 14 is fixed to the material tube 11 through a mounting assembly. The number of mounting assemblies is the same as the number of first vibrating members 14, and the mounting assembly includes a fixing plate 15 and a fixing clamp 16. Each group of material tubes 11 is connected to the same fixing plate 15 through a corresponding fixing clamp 16, and the first vibrating member 14 is fixedly mounted on the corresponding fixing plate 15. Each first vibration motor corresponds to a group of material tubes 11 through a fixing plate 15, is responsible for the synchronous vibration of the corresponding group of material tubes 11, and is fixed through a fixing clamp 16. The overall structure of the mounting assembly is simple and compact, which is convenient for realizing the vibration feeding of multiple material tubes 11.

[0042] Reference Figure 2-4 The mounting frame 21 includes a vibration plate 211, two vertical plates 212 and two horizontal plates 213. The vertical plates 212 and the horizontal plates 213 are connected in sequence to form a frame structure, and the powder mixing tank 22 is arranged in the frame structure. The side walls of the two vertical plates 212 that are away from each other are fixedly connected with mounting side ears 214, and the bottom surface of the mounting side ears 214 is fixedly connected with a shock-absorbing pad 215. The two ends of the vibration plate 211 are fixedly connected to the two vertical plates 212 respectively, and the second vibration member 24 is a second vibration motor, and the second vibration motor is fixedly installed on the vibration plate 211.

[0043] After the metal powder enters the powder mixing tank 22, the second vibrating member 24 transmits the vibration to the mounting frame 21 through the vibration plate 211, thereby realizing secondary mixing of the metal powder in all the powder mixing tanks 22. The installation of the side ears 214 facilitates the connection and integration with the metal 3D printer, and the shock absorbing pads 215 play a shock absorbing role.

[0044] Reference Figure 3-4Both ends of the powder mixing tank 22 are fixedly connected with flexible sleeves 221, and the two ends of the powder mixing tank 22 are respectively connected with the gathering hopper 13 and the second flexible pipe 23 through the flexible sleeves 221. The horizontal plate 213 includes a first unit plate 2131 and a second unit plate 2132 arranged in parallel, and the ends of the first unit plate 2131 and the second unit plate 2132 are detachably connected to the end surface of the vertical plate 212 by bolts. The horizontal plate 213 is provided with an installation slot 2133 for the flexible sleeve 221 to pass through, and the installation slot 2133 is located on both the first unit plate 2131 and the second unit plate 2132.

[0045] The setting of the flexible sleeve 221 facilitates the flexible connection between the powder mixing tank 22 and the mounting frame 21. When installing the mounting frame 21, the first unit plate 2131 and the second unit plate 2132 are first moved toward each other until the flexible sleeves 221 at both ends of the powder mixing tank 22 pass through the mounting grooves 2133, and then the first unit plate 2131 and the second unit plate 2132 are fixed to the vertical plate 212 at both ends. The installation operation is simple and convenient.

[0046] Reference Figure 4 The flexible sleeve 221 is provided with a limiting boss 222, and the plate surfaces of the first unit plate 2131 and the second unit plate 2132 abut against the limiting boss 222. The setting of the limiting boss 222 can, on the one hand, position the horizontal plate 213, so as to facilitate the coordinated installation of the first unit plate 2131 and the second unit plate 2132; on the other hand, it can limit the vertical direction of the horizontal plate 213, thereby improving the relative installation stability of the mounting frame 21 and the powder mixing tank 22 under the action of long-term vibration.

[0047] Reference Figure 3-4 A plurality of reinforcing ribs 216 are arranged on the side of the two horizontal plates 213 close to each other. The reinforcing ribs 216 and the powder mixing tank 22 are arranged in sequence and spaced apart. The same reinforcing rib 216 is detachably connected to the first unit plate 2131 and the second unit plate 2132 by bolts. Since the mounting frame 21 and the powder mixing tank 22 are often in a continuous vibration state, the arrangement of the reinforcing ribs 216 can improve the stability of the overall structure of the horizontal plate 213 on the one hand, and on the other hand, it also fixes the shape of the mounting slot 2133, thereby making the clamping of the horizontal plate 213 and the flexible sleeve 221 stable, which is convenient for the long-term use of the overall device.

[0048] Reference Figure 1-2 and Figure 5The powder transfer mechanism 3 includes a convex plate 31, a first lifting plate 32, a powder collecting cylinder 33, a transfer bottle 4 and a sealing structure 5; both ends of the convex plate 31 are fixedly installed on the metal 3D printer, the bottom end of the second flexible tube 23 is fixedly installed on the convex plate 31 and passes through the convex plate 31, and both ends of the bottom surface of the middle part of the convex plate 31 are fixedly installed with a lifting cylinder 311, and the piston rod of the lifting cylinder 311 is vertically downward and fixedly connected to the top surface of the first lifting plate 32, so that the first lifting plate 32 is lifted and set on the convex plate 31, thereby realizing the lifting and setting of the first lifting plate 32 on the metal 3D printer.

[0049] The number of powder collecting tubes 33 is set corresponding to the number of second flexible tubes 23. The powder collecting tubes 33 are fixedly mounted on the first lifting plate 32. The top of the powder collecting tubes 33 is located directly below the second flexible tube 23. The bottom of the powder collecting tubes 33 penetrates the first lifting plate 32 and docks with the transport bottle 4 through the sealing structure 5. A first driving rod 331 is fixedly arranged inside the powder collecting tube 33. A blocking piston 332 is fixedly connected to the top of the first driving rod 331. The blocking piston 332 can rise with the first lifting plate 32 to block the connection between the top of the second flexible tube 23 and the powder mixing tank 22. At this time, the bottom of the powder mixing tank 22 stops feeding, and the sealing structure 5 below the powder collecting tube 33 is closed. The bottom of the first driving rod 331 can be lowered with the first lifting plate 32 to cooperate with the sealing structure 5. At this time, the sealing structure 5 is opened, and the opening at the bottom of the powder mixing tank 22 is also opened, and the mixed powder is discharged downward.

[0050] After the metal powder is evenly mixed in the powder mixing tank 22, the first lifting plate 32 is lowered, so that the first driving rod 331 is lowered, and the bottom end of the first driving rod 331 is lowered to cooperate with the sealing structure 5 to open the sealing structure 5. At this time, the metal powder passes through the second flexible tube 23, the powder taking tube 33 and the sealing structure 5 from the powder mixing tank 22 in sequence, and then enters the transport bottle 4. After the transport bottle 4 finishes taking powder, the lifting plate rises to reset, and the blocking piston 332 rises with the first lifting plate 32 to block the connection between the top of the second flexible tube 23 and the powder mixing tank 22. The metal powder continues to be stored in the powder mixing tank 22, and the sealing structure 5 is also reset to be re-closed, so that the metal powder in the transport bottle 4 is sealed, reducing the metal powder from flying out, thereby reducing safety hazards.

[0051] Reference Figure 6-10 The sealing structure 5 includes a connecting plate 41, a lower material bin 51, a sealing plug 52 and a return spring 53. The connecting plate 41 is connected to the metal 3D printer. The lower material bin 51 is fixedly arranged above the connecting plate 41. The transfer bottle 4 is threadedly connected to the bottom surface of the connecting plate 41. The opening at the top of the transfer bottle 4 passes through the connecting plate 41 and is connected to the opening at the bottom end of the lower material bin 51.

[0052] The top of the lower material bin 51 is conical and is used to dock with the bottom of the powder taking tube 33. The top of the lower material bin 51 is fixedly connected with a limiting tube 54 through four support plates 511. The sealing plug 52 is arranged in the lower material bin 51. The bottom of the sealing plug 52 is conical. The top of the sealing plug 52 is provided with a lifting hole 521 for inserting the limiting tube 54. The first sealing ring 6 is fixedly connected to the position near the top of the lifting hole 521 in the lifting hole 521. The middle of the sealing plug 52 is in contact with the inner side of the bottom end of the lower material bin 51 through the second sealing ring 7, and the middle of the sealing plug 52 and the inner side of the bottom end of the lower material bin 51 are provided with mutually matching inclined surfaces.

[0053] The sealing plug 52 is fixedly connected with a lifting rod 55, which is divided into a thick rod 551 and a thin rod 552 fixedly connected from top to bottom. The bottom end of the thin rod 552 is inserted into the sealing plug 52 and fixedly connected to the sealing plug 52, and the top end of the thin rod 552 is located in the limiting cylinder 54; the top end of the lifting rod 55, that is, the top end of the thick rod 551, is fixedly connected with a movable plug 56, which is located in the limiting cylinder 54 and matches the inner diameter of the limiting cylinder 54, and the bottom of the movable plug 56 is fixedly connected with a third sealing ring 8, the peripheral side wall of the third sealing ring 8 abuts against the inner wall of the limiting cylinder 54, and the first sealing ring 6, the second sealing ring 7 and the third sealing ring 8 all play a sealing role. The reset spring 53 is sleeved on the lifting rod 55, the bottom end of the reset spring 53 is fixedly connected to the bottom wall in the limiting cylinder 54, and the top end of the reset spring 53 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the movable plug 56.

[0054] The bottom end of the first driving rod 331 can be lowered with the first lifting plate 32 to abut against the movable plug 56 and push the sealing plug 52 downward. At this time, the inner wall of the lifting hole 521 moves downward compared to the outer wall of the limiting cylinder 54, forming a channel connecting the lower bin 51 and the transfer bottle 4; when the blocking piston 332 rises with the first lifting plate 32 to block the connection between the top end of the second flexible tube 23 and the powder mixing tank 22, the movable plug 56 loses the downward restriction of the first driving rod 331, and under the action of the reset spring 53, the sealing plug 52 is reset. At this time, the sealing plug 52 re-seals the opening at the bottom end of the lower bin 51.

[0055] The process of the first driving rod 331 and the sealing structure 5 in cooperation is as follows: the bottom end of the first driving rod 331 descends to push the movable plug 56, and the movable plug 56 descends in the limiting cylinder 54. At this time, the reset spring 53 extends, and the lifting rod 55 and the sealing plug 52 descend together. A channel is formed between the sealing plug 52 and the lower material bin 51, and the channel is connected to the bottle mouth of the transport bottle 4. The metal powder enters the lower material bin 51 from the second flexible tube 23, and then falls into the transport bottle 4 along the edge of the sealing plug 52, that is, the position where the channel is formed between the sealing plug 52 and the lower material bin 51, to achieve the material collection of the mixed powder. After the material collection is completed, the first driving rod 331 rises, and under the action of the reset spring 53, the movable plug 56, the lifting rod 55 and the sealing plug 52 rise together to reset, and the sealing structure 5 is restored from the open state to the sealed state, so as to achieve the sealing of the metal powder in the transport bottle 4. At this time, the connecting plate 41 can be removed through the subsequent process, and then the transport bottle 4 can be moved to the specified position, and the mixed metal powder in the transport bottle 4 can be taken out for subsequent processing. After the transport bottle 4 on each connecting plate 41 is removed, the transport bottle 4 on the next connecting plate 41 is moved to the bottom of the powder taking cylinder 33 through subsequent processes to achieve intermittent continuous material taking.

[0056] The implementation principle of the device for mixing powder in the embodiment of the present application is as follows: the gathering hopper 13 roughly mixes each group of metal powders, and then enters the powder mixing tank 22. Under the action of the second vibrating member 24, the mounting frame 21 is driven to vibrate, and then the powder mixing tank 22 is driven to vibrate, so that the metal powders in the powder mixing tank 22 that have been roughly mixed by the gathering hopper 13 are further mixed, thereby improving the mixing uniformity and consistency.

[0057] After the metal powder is evenly mixed in the powder mixing tank 22, the first lifting plate 32 descends, thereby causing the first driving rod 331 to descend, and the bottom end of the first driving rod 331 descends to push the movable plug 56, and the movable plug 56 descends in the limiting cylinder 54. At this time, the reset spring 53 extends, and the lifting rod 55 and the sealing plug 52 descend together, and a channel is formed between the sealing plug 52 and the lower material bin 51, and the channel is connected to the bottle mouth of the transfer bottle 4. The metal powder enters the lower material bin 51 from the second flexible tube 23, and then falls into the transfer bottle 4 along the edge of the side of the sealing plug 52, that is, the position where the channel is formed between the sealing plug 52 and the lower material bin 51, to realize the collection of the mixed powder.

[0058] After the material is taken, the first driving rod 331 rises, and under the action of the reset spring 53, the movable plug 56, the lifting rod 55 and the sealing plug 52 rise together to reset, and the sealing structure 5 is restored from the open state to the sealed state, thereby realizing the sealing of the metal powder in the transfer bottle 4.

[0059] At this time, the connecting plate 41 can be removed through the subsequent process, and then the transport bottle 4 can be moved to the designated position, and the mixed metal powder in the transport bottle 4 can be taken out for subsequent processing. After the transport bottle 4 on each connecting plate 41 is removed, the transport bottle 4 on the next connecting plate 41 is moved to the bottom of the powder collecting tube 33 through the subsequent process, so as to realize intermittent continuous material collection.

[0060] In the second aspect, the metal 3D printer provided in this application adopts the following technical solution: A metal 3D printer comprises the above-mentioned device for mixing powders.

[0061] The above are all preferred embodiments of the present application, and the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Therefore, any equivalent changes made according to the structure, shape, and principle of the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A device for mixing powders, characterized in that: It comprises a rough mixing component (1) and a fine mixing component (2); The rough mixing component (1) comprises a material pipe (11), a first flexible pipe (12), a collecting hopper (13) and a first vibrating member (14); the material pipe (11) is provided in a plurality of groups, each group of the material pipes (11) comprises a plurality of pipes; the top end of the material pipe (11) is used to introduce metal powder, the bottom end of the material pipe (11) is gathered into the collecting hopper (13) through the first flexible pipe (12); the collecting hopper (13) is provided in a plurality, each of the collecting hoppers (13) corresponds to a group of material pipes (11); the first vibrating member (14) is provided on the material pipe (11) and there are a plurality of them, each of the first vibrating members (14) is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with each group of material pipes (11), and the first vibrating member (14) is used to control the vibration of the corresponding group of material pipes (11); The bottom end of the aggregate hopper (13) is connected to the fine mixing component (2), and the fine mixing component (2) is used to perform secondary mixing on the metal powder mixed by the aggregate hopper (13). The fine mixing component (2) comprises a mounting frame (21), and the mounting frame (21) is mounted on the metal 3D printer.

2. A device for mixing powders according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fine mixing assembly (2) further comprises a powder mixing tank (22), a second flexible tube (23) and a second vibrating member (24); the powder mixing tank (22) is arranged on the mounting frame (21) and is arranged corresponding to the gathering hopper (13); both ends of the powder mixing tank (22) are flexibly connected to the mounting frame (21); the top end of the powder mixing tank (22) is connected to the bottom end of the gathering hopper (13); and the bottom end of the powder mixing tank (22) is connected to the second flexible tube (23); and the second vibrating member (24) is arranged on the mounting frame (21).

3. A device for mixing powders according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first vibrating member (14) is a first vibrating motor, and the first vibrating member (14) is fixed to the material pipe (11) through a mounting assembly; The number of the mounting components is the same as the number of the first vibrating members (14), and the mounting components include a fixing plate (15) and a fixing clamp (16). Each group of the material pipes (11) is connected to the same fixing plate (15) via a corresponding fixing clamp (16), and the first vibrating member (14) is fixedly mounted on the corresponding fixing plate (15).

4. A device for mixing powders according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting frame (21) comprises two vertical plates (212) and two horizontal plates (213), wherein the vertical plates (212) and the horizontal plates (213) are sequentially connected to form a frame structure, and the powder mixing tank (22) is arranged in the frame structure; Mounting side ears (214) are fixedly connected to the side walls of the two vertical plates (212) that are away from each other, and a shock-absorbing pad (215) is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the mounting side ears (214).

5. A device for mixing powders according to claim 4, characterized in that: Both ends of the powder mixing tank (22) are fixedly connected with flexible sleeves (221), and the two ends of the powder mixing tank (22) are respectively connected with the gathering hopper (13) and the second flexible pipe (23) through the flexible sleeves (221); The transverse plate (213) comprises a first unit plate (2131) and a second unit plate (2132) arranged in parallel, the ends of the first unit plate (2131) and the second unit plate (2132) are detachably connected to the end surface of the vertical plate (212) by bolts, and the transverse plate (213) is provided with a mounting groove (2133) for the flexible sleeve (221) to pass through, and the mounting groove (2133) is located on both the first unit plate (2131) and the second unit plate (2132).

6. A device for mixing powders according to claim 5, characterized in that: A limiting boss (222) is provided on the flexible sleeve (221), and the plate surfaces of the first unit plate (2131) and the second unit plate (2132) are in contact with the limiting boss (222).

7. A device for mixing powders according to claim 5, characterized in that: A plurality of reinforcing ribs (216) are arranged on a surface of the two transverse plates (213) close to each other, the reinforcing ribs (216) and the powder mixing tank (22) are arranged in sequence and spaced apart, and the same reinforcing rib (216) is detachably connected to the first unit plate (2131) and the second unit plate (2132) by bolts.

8. A device for mixing powders according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that: It also includes a powder transfer mechanism (3) and a transport bottle (4), wherein the powder transfer mechanism (3) includes a first lifting plate (32), a powder collecting cylinder (33), a transport bottle (4) and a sealing structure (5); The first lifting plate (32) is lifted and arranged on the metal 3D printer, the number of the powder collecting cylinders (33) is arranged corresponding to the number of the second flexible tubes (23), the powder collecting cylinders (33) are fixedly installed on the first lifting plate (32), the top end of the powder collecting cylinder (33) is located directly below the second flexible tube (23), and the bottom end of the powder collecting cylinder (33) passes through the first lifting plate (32) and then docks with the transport bottle (4) through the sealing structure (5); A first driving rod (331) is fixedly arranged inside the powder collecting cylinder (33), and a blocking piston (332) is fixedly connected to the top end of the first driving rod (331). The blocking piston (332) can rise along with the first lifting plate (32) to block the connection between the top end of the second flexible tube (23) and the powder mixing tank (22), and at this time, the sealing structure (5) is closed; the bottom end of the first driving rod (331) can fall along with the first lifting plate (32) to cooperate with the sealing structure (5), and at this time, the sealing structure (5) is opened.

9. A device for mixing powders according to claim 8, characterized in that: The sealing structure (5) comprises a connecting plate (41), a lower material bin (51), a sealing plug (52) and a return spring (53); the connecting plate (41) is connected to the metal 3D printer; the lower material bin (51) is fixedly arranged above the connecting plate (41); the transport bottle (4) is threadedly connected to the bottom surface of the connecting plate (41); the opening at the top end of the transport bottle (4) passes through the connecting plate (41) and is communicated with the opening at the bottom end of the lower material bin (51); The top end of the lower material bin (51) is conically arranged for docking with the bottom of the powder collecting cylinder (33); the top end of the lower material bin (51) is fixedly connected to a limiting cylinder (54) via a support plate (511); the sealing plug (52) is arranged in the lower material bin (51); a lifting rod (55) is fixedly connected to the sealing plug (52); the top end of the lifting rod (55) is fixedly connected to a movable plug (56); and the movable plug (56) is located in the limiting cylinder (54); The return spring (53) is sleeved on the lifting rod (55), the bottom end of the return spring (53) is fixedly connected to the inside of the sealing plug (52), and the side wall of the return spring (53) close to the upper end is fixedly connected to the inside of the lower bin (51) through a connecting piece; The bottom end of the first driving rod (331) can be lowered along with the first lifting plate (32) to abut against the movable plug (56) and push the sealing plug (52) downward, thereby forming a channel connecting the lower material bin (51) and the transfer bottle (4); when the blocking piston (332) is raised along with the first lifting plate (32) to block the connection between the top end of the second flexible tube (23) and the powder mixing tank (22), the sealing plug (52) is reset, and at this time, the sealing plug (52) blocks the opening at the bottom end of the lower material bin (51).

10. A metal 3D printer, characterized in that: A device for mixing powders comprising the device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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