A double-channel single-jet structure fiber composite 3D printing head mechanism

Abstract

The application relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and particularly discloses a fiber composite material 3D printing head mechanism with a double-channel single-nozzle structure, which is used to solve the problems of low efficiency and inconvenient maintenance of the existing device; the mechanism comprises a printing shell, two mounting holes are arranged at the upper end of the printing shell, and one air inlet cylinder is arranged in each mounting hole; the two air inlet cylinders are used as two independent channels; under the drive of independent air pressure, after base body material and continuous fibers are fused and impregnated through a common chamber, the base body material and the continuous fibers are extruded through a nozzle under the common chamber; the double-channel / single-nozzle structure design can meet the in-situ impregnation of the base body material and the fibers, allows flexible replacement of the cylinders without interrupting the printing process, reduces downtime, improves printing efficiency, and meets the printing requirements of different materials; quick-change screws are arranged on the two sides of the common chamber, so that the quick-change screws can be quickly disassembled to clean residual materials in the printing process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and in particular to a continuous fiber composite material printhead. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, FDM (Fiber Direct Molding) technology has become the most commonly used printing process in additive manufacturing due to its advantages such as low cost, simple and convenient operation and maintenance, wide availability of raw materials, and suitability for small-scale printing. Among these, continuous fiber printing, due to its fiber orientation, exhibits significant advantages in the mechanical properties of the printed products. However, common printing devices are complex in structure, inconvenient to maintain, and have low operating efficiency. In actual printing processes, due to short impregnation times, the fiber and matrix impregnation is insufficient, limiting the improvement in the mechanical properties of the printed products.

[0003] Therefore, this patent proposes a fiber composite material 3D printing head mechanism with a dual-channel single-nozzle structure to meet the demand for stable and efficient 3D printing of continuous fiber composite materials. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a fiber composite material 3D printing head mechanism with a dual-channel single-nozzle structure, which solves the problems in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A fiber composite material 3D printing head mechanism with a dual-channel single nozzle structure includes a printing shell, the upper end of which is provided with two mounting holes, and each mounting hole is fitted with an air inlet cylinder.

[0007] The air inlet cylinder is equipped with a feeding bracket for storing continuous fibers, and the fiber material is stored through the feeding bracket.

[0008] A heating cylinder for heating the substrate material is provided on the outer side of the lower end of the air inlet cylinder inside the printing shell;

[0009] The bottom of the printing shell is detachably provided with an output box, the inside of which is a common chamber. The upper end of the output box is provided with a docking tube, the lower end of the printing shell is provided with a docking hole that matches the docking tube, and the bottom of the air inlet cylinder is provided with an output bottom tube that extends to match the docking tube.

[0010] The bottom of the discharge box is provided with two discharge nozzles corresponding to the positions of the connecting material tubes, and the discharge nozzles are connected to the printing shell through a detachable mechanism.

[0011] Based on the above technical solutions, the present invention also provides the following optional technical solutions:

[0012] In one alternative: the upper end of the air inlet cylinder is connected to a cap by a thread, and each cap has an air inlet port in the middle for connecting to an independent pneumatic drive component so as to deliver gas into the air inlet cylinder, and the upper end of each cap is connected to the independent pneumatic drive component.

[0013] In one alternative embodiment: the wire feeding bracket includes a roller for winding the wire. The two ends of the roller's central shaft are connected to the upper end of the bracket component; the bracket component includes two support rings connected by multiple support rods, the support rings being matched to the inner diameter of the air inlet cylinder so that the wire is coaxially positioned with the air inlet cylinder.

[0014] In one alternative: the detachable mechanism connection includes connecting screw holes on both sides of the discharge box, the connecting screw holes corresponding to the common chamber, and a quick-change screw in each connecting screw hole.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0016] This invention employs a dual-channel independent pneumatic drive: each channel is equipped with an independent pneumatic control system, capable of adjusting the pneumatic pressure of different inlet cylinders independently. The structure is simple and compact, suitable for small printer applications. Under the adapted pneumatic drive, it utilizes a bypass feeding in-situ impregnation process (two inlet cylinders respectively hold the matrix material and a filament feeder; a heating chamber heats the matrix material to a molten state; in-situ impregnation occurs in a common chamber), effectively promoting thorough impregnation of the fiber and matrix material, improving interfacial bonding strength, and enhancing the mechanical properties of the printed product.

[0017] This invention employs a quick-change design: the lower end of the air inlet cylinder is connected to the common chamber via a thread, resulting in a simple structure that allows for flexible cylinder replacement without interrupting printing, reducing downtime and improving printing efficiency; quick-change screws are installed on both sides of the common chamber for easy disassembly and cleaning of residual material during printing, making maintenance convenient; at the same time, the dual channels ensure that the substrate material and fiber filaments do not interfere with each other during printing, making material replacement convenient and operation simple. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the printhead of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the wire feeding bracket structure of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the discharge box structure of the present invention.

[0023] Figure label annotations: 1. Air inlet cylinder; 2. Wire feeding bracket; 2.1. Wire feeding roller; 2.2. Bracket; 3. Heating cylinder; 4. Printing shell; 5. Output box; 5.1. Common chamber; 5.2. Quick-change screw; 5.3. Aluminum heat preservation head. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] Example: Figure 1-5 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a fiber composite material 3D printing head mechanism with a dual-channel single-nozzle structure, including a printing shell 4;

[0026] The upper end of the printing shell 4 is provided with two mounting holes, and an air inlet cylinder 1 is provided in each mounting hole. The upper end of the air inlet cylinder 1 is connected to a cap by a thread. Each cap has an air inlet port in the middle for connecting to an independent pneumatic drive component so as to deliver gas into the air inlet cylinder 1. The upper end of each cap is connected to the independent pneumatic drive component.

[0027] Insufficient impregnation can be addressed by increasing the molding pressure through increased air pressure. Independent dual-channel air pressure control not only effectively balances the flow of molten matrix material in the common chamber, preventing backflow into the barrel, but also ensures uniform material extrusion during printing by adjusting the independent air pressure of the two barrels to match the corresponding melt viscosity. This improves printing accuracy and consistency, and allows for adaptation to variations in materials and process parameters, meeting complex printing needs.

[0028] Here, "independence" refers to independent air pressure control, not air channels. Even if two air channels eventually connect in a common chamber, they remain independent until they reach that chamber. Due to the independently controlled air pressure, the higher-pressure air channel dominates the material flow, satisfying the flow conditions of the molten matrix material.

[0029] The air inlet cylinder 1 is equipped with a filament feeding bracket 2 for storing printing filaments, and the filaments are stored through the filament feeding bracket 2.

[0030] The fiber feeding bracket 2 includes a roller 2.1 for winding continuous fibers. The two ends of the central shaft of the roller 2.1 are connected to the upper end of the bracket 2.2. The bracket 2.2 includes two support rings, which are connected by multiple support rods. The support rings are matched with the inner diameter of the air inlet cylinder 1 so that the bracket 2.2 can be locked inside the air inlet cylinder for easy disassembly and assembly later.

[0031] The roller feeding mechanism utilizes a molten, flowing matrix to coat the fibers for feeding, effectively preventing fiber breakage due to excessive mechanical stress. The support structure ensures the continuous fibers pass stably along the cylinder axis and smoothly through the outlet of the air inlet cylinder, achieving stable coaxial feeding and preventing fibers from deviating from the center during matrix placement. Off-center continuous fibers cannot effectively bear and transfer loads, failing to fully utilize their load-bearing capacity. Furthermore, uneven fiber distribution within the matrix can lead to stress concentration and defect formation.

[0032] Enhanced fiber feeding is achieved by coating continuous fibers with a molten matrix. The matrix material impregnates the fibers, creating interfacial bonding. The fibers then transfer the load, effectively improving mechanical properties. This encapsulation structure is already implemented. Due to the pressure difference, the matrix material in the left barrel has melted and flowed, filling the common chamber. At this point, the continuous fibers output from the right barrel are completely encapsulated within the common chamber. Driven by the inlet pressure, the molten matrix material encases the fibers and is extruded from the printhead. Because the fed fibers are along the barrel axis, stable coaxial fiber feeding is ensured.

[0033] The printing shell 4 contains a heating cylinder 3 on the outer side of the lower end of the air inlet cylinder 1 to heat the substrate material;

[0034] The bottom of the printing housing 4 is detachably provided with a discharge box 5. The discharge box 5 has a common chamber inside. The upper end of the discharge box 5 is provided with a docking tube. The lower end of the printing housing 4 is provided with a docking hole that matches the docking tube. The discharge position at the bottom of the air inlet cylinder 1 is provided with a discharge bottom tube that extends to match the docking tube.

[0035] The bottom of the discharge box 5 is provided with an aluminum heat-insulating head 5.3 corresponding to the position of the discharge pipe. The discharge nozzle has a conical structure. The two sides of the discharge box 5 are provided with connecting screw holes corresponding to the common chamber. Each connecting screw hole is fitted with a quick-change screw 5.2. When the discharge box 5 is blocked, the quick-change screw 5.2 can be removed, and then a cleaning rod can be inserted along the connecting screw hole to push out the accumulated material inside the common chamber, which facilitates later maintenance.

[0036] Quick-change cartridge design: The lower end of the air inlet cartridge 1 is threaded to the common chamber, allowing for flexible cartridge replacement without interrupting printing, reducing downtime, improving printing efficiency, and meeting the printing needs of different materials; quick-change screws are installed on both sides of the common chamber for easy disassembly and cleaning of residual material after printing.

[0037] Working principle / process: In actual use, the filament feeder 2 is installed in the right air inlet cylinder 1, with pre-installed filaments wound on it. The matrix material in the left air inlet cylinder is heated and melted, then flows into the common chamber under air pressure. Continuous fibers fed by the filament feeder enter the discharge box 5 and impregnate with the molten matrix material. Insufficient impregnation can be addressed by increasing the forming pressure through increased air pressure. Independent dual air pressure control not only effectively balances the flow of molten matrix material in the common chamber, preventing backflow into the cylinder, but also ensures uniform material extrusion during printing by adjusting the independent air pressure of the two cylinders. This improves printing accuracy and consistency, adapts to changes in different materials and process parameters, and meets complex printing needs.

[0038] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fiber composite material 3D printing head mechanism with a dual-channel single-nozzle structure, comprising a printing shell (4), characterized in that: The upper end of the printing shell (4) is provided with two mounting holes, and each mounting hole is fitted with an air inlet cylinder (1); The air inlet cylinder (1) is equipped with a yarn feeding bracket (2) for storing continuous fibers, and the yarn is stored through the yarn feeding bracket (2); The lower outer side of the air inlet cylinder (1) inside the printing shell (4) is provided with a heating cylinder (3) for heating the substrate material. The bottom of the printing shell (4) is detachably provided with a discharge box (5). The discharge box (5) has a common chamber inside. The upper end of the discharge box (5) is provided with a docking tube. The lower end of the printing shell (4) is provided with a docking hole that matches the docking tube. The discharge position at the bottom of the air inlet cylinder (1) is provided with a discharge bottom tube that extends to match the docking tube. The bottom of the discharge box (5) is provided with a discharge nozzle corresponding to the position of the docking tube, and the discharge nozzle is connected to the printing shell (4) through a detachable mechanism; The upper end of the air inlet cylinder (1) is connected to a cap by a thread. Each cap has an air inlet port in the middle for connecting to an independent pneumatic drive component so as to deliver gas into the air inlet cylinder (1). The upper end of each cap is connected to the independent pneumatic drive component.

2. The fiber composite material 3D printing head mechanism with a dual-channel single-nozzle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wire feeding bracket (2) includes a roller (2.1) for winding the wire. The two ends of the central shaft of the roller (2.1) are connected to the upper end of the bracket (2.2). The bracket (2.2) includes two support rings, which are connected by multiple support rods. The support rings are matched with the inner diameter of the air inlet cylinder (1) so that the wire and the air inlet cylinder (1) are coaxially arranged.

3. The fiber composite material 3D printing head mechanism with a dual-channel single-nozzle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detachable mechanism connection includes connecting screw holes on both sides of the discharge box (5), the connecting screw holes are corresponding to the common chamber, and each connecting screw hole is fitted with a quick-change screw (5.2).

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