3D printer for printing ice structure and printing method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a 3D printer for printing an ice structure and a printing method of the 3D printer, and relates to the field of 3D printing. The printing head assembly comprises a mounting seat, a printing spray head, a water supply assembly, a spray head cooling assembly and a spray material cooling assembly, wherein the printing spray head is mounted on the mounting seat; the nozzle cooling assembly is installed on the outer side wall of the printing nozzle. The material spraying and cooling assembly is installed on the installation base, and the discharging end of the material spraying and cooling assembly corresponds to the discharging end of the printing nozzle. When the printer is used for manufacturing structures such as ice sculptures and ice houses, materials are convenient to take, liquid water can be directly used as raw materials, and the water is conveyed into the printing spray head through the water supply assembly, rapidly cooled to be below the freezing point from the normal temperature and sprayed out under the action of the spray head cooling assembly; and the sprayed water layer and ice crystals are rapidly condensed on the ice layer below under the action of the spraying cooling assembly, so that the firmness of connection between the ice layers can be enhanced during layer-by-layer printing, interlayer flowing is prevented, the manufacturing efficiency of the ice structure is improved, and the manufacturing precision of the ice structure can be ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of 3D printing, and more particularly to a 3D printer for printing ice structures and a printing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Ice sculpture, as a unique art form, uses transparent ice as a canvas, and through the skillful hands of the sculptor, it presents ever-changing shapes and light and shadow effects. Traditional ice sculpture production requires multiple steps such as material selection, ice harvesting, ice transportation, design, cutting, fine carving, and polishing. In terms of material selection, the ideal ice should be made of pure water, with high transparency and few bubbles. It is generally selected from frozen rivers such as the Songhua River. The entire process of transportation and production requires a lot of manpower and material resources, which is not only time-consuming, costly, and inefficient, but also the carving masters have different experiences, making it difficult to achieve accurate construction of complex structures.

[0003] 3D printing technology has high production efficiency and higher precision, but existing 3D printing technologies mostly rely on special materials, such as plastics or metals, and there is still a lack of technology for directly using water as a printing material. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a 3D printing head, a 3D printer and a printing method that can use water as a raw material and can accurately produce ice structures such as ice sculptures and igloos. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention aims to provide a 3D printer for printing ice structures and a printing method thereof to at least to some extent solve the problems in the prior art of ice sculpture production, such as difficult material selection, long time consumption, high cost, low production efficiency, and uneven experience of carving masters, making it difficult to achieve precise construction of complex structures.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A 3D printer for printing ice structures, comprising a frame, a printing platform, a controller and a print head assembly; the printing platform is mounted at the lower end of the frame, and the print head assembly comprises:

[0007] A mounting seat, the mounting seat being slidably mounted on the frame above the printing platform in multiple directions;

[0008] A printing nozzle, the printing nozzle is mounted on the mounting seat;

[0009] A water supply assembly, wherein the discharge end of the water supply assembly is connected to the feed end of the print nozzle;

[0010] A nozzle cooling assembly, the nozzle cooling assembly is mounted on the outer side wall of the printing nozzle;

[0011] A spray cooling component is mounted on the mounting seat and its discharge end corresponds to the discharge end of the printing nozzle.

[0012] The water supply component, the nozzle cooling component, and the spray cooling component are all electrically connected to the controller.

[0013] The beneficial effects that can be achieved by the present invention are as follows: when using the printer of the present invention to make ice sculptures, igloos and other structures, it is convenient to obtain materials, and liquid pure water can be directly used as raw material. The water is transported to the printing nozzle through the water supply component, and under the action of the nozzle cooling component, the water is quickly cooled from room temperature to below the freezing point and sprayed out. The sprayed water layer or ice crystals are quickly condensed on the ice layer below under the action of the spray cooling component, so that when printing layer by layer, the firmness of the connection between the ice layers can be strengthened, the flow between the layers can be prevented, the production efficiency of the ice structure can be improved, and its production accuracy can be guaranteed.

[0014] Preferably, the water supply assembly includes a water supply pipe and a water pump, the water pump is fixed on the mounting base and electrically connected to the controller, and its feed end is connected to an external water source through the water supply pipe, and the feed end of the print head is connected to the discharge end of the water pump.

[0015] Preferably, a flow meter is installed on the water pump, and the flow meter is electrically connected to the controller.

[0016] Preferably, a heat-insulating sleeve is further provided, and the heat-insulating sleeve is arranged on the outer side walls of the water pump and the water supply pipe.

[0017] Preferably, it also includes a heating component, which includes a hot water storage tank, a heater, a hot water pipe and a hot water circulation pump, and a hot water channel is provided inside the insulation sleeve; the return end of the hot water storage tank is connected to the discharge end of the hot water channel, and the heater is installed in the hot water storage tank; the feed end of the hot water circulation pump is connected to the hot water storage tank through a hot water pipe, and the discharge end is connected to the feed end of the hot water channel through a hot water pipe, and the heater and the hot water circulation pump are electrically connected to the controller.

[0018] Preferably, temperature sensors are installed in both the water supply pipe and the water pump, and the temperature sensors are electrically connected to the controller.

[0019] Preferably, the nozzle cooling assembly includes a coolant tank, a coolant circulation pump, a discharge pipe, a spiral cooling pipe and a return pipe, the coolant tank is fixed on the mounting base, the coolant circulation pump is installed on the mounting base and electrically connected to the controller, and its feed end is connected to the coolant tank; the spiral cooling pipe is wound around the outer side wall of the print nozzle, and its feed end is connected to the discharge end of the coolant circulation pump through the discharge pipe, and the discharge end is connected to the coolant tank through the return pipe.

[0020] Preferably, the spray cooling assembly includes an air cooler, an air pipe and a cold air nozzle, the air cooler is electrically connected to the controller, the cold air nozzle is fixed on the mounting base, and its air inlet end is connected to the air cooler through the air pipe, and the air outlet end corresponds to the discharge end of the printing nozzle.

[0021] A method for printing an ice structure using a 3D printer for printing an ice structure as described above comprises the following steps:

[0022] S1. Import the three-dimensional model of the landscape sculpture into the controller of the 3D printer used for ice structure printing, perform layer-by-layer slicing and path planning to achieve precise printing.

[0023] S2. Turn on the printer, and deliver and squeeze water to the print nozzle through the water supply component. The water is initially cooled by the nozzle cooling component in the print nozzle and quickly cools down. When the water is sprayed out from the print nozzle, it is further cooled down by the cooling spray component to form a thin layer of ice crystal structure, and quickly freezes and hardens on the printing platform.

[0024] S3. The multi-layered ice crystal structure freezes and hardens layer by layer to form a three-dimensional ice sculpture or outdoor landscape.

[0025] It can be seen from the above technical solution that compared with the prior art, the present invention discloses a 3D printer for printing ice structures and a printing method thereof, which can be used to make special-shaped components, landscape sculptures, igloos, etc. in extreme cold weather. It directly uses liquid water as the printing material, which is convenient and environmentally friendly, does not require ice harvesting and transportation, and can efficiently and accurately manufacture ice sculptures and igloos, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and improving production efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying creative work.

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a 3D printer for printing ice structures provided by the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the print head assembly provided by the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 A side structural schematic diagram of a 3D printer for printing ice structures provided by the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of the water supply pipe, thermal insulation sleeve and heating assembly provided by the present invention.

[0031] In the figure: 1. print head assembly, 11. mounting base, 12. print nozzle, 13. water supply assembly, 131. water supply pipe, 132. water pump, 14. nozzle cooling assembly, 141. coolant storage tank, 142. coolant circulation pump, 143. discharge pipe, 144. spiral cooling pipe, 145. return pipe, 15. spray cooling assembly, 151. air cooler, 152. air pipe, 153. cold air nozzle, 16. insulation cover, 17. hot water circulation assembly, 171. hot water storage tank, 172. heater, 173. hot water pipe, 174. hot water circulation pump, 2. rack, 3. printing platform, 4. controller. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] In the description of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that the terms "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0034] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0035] Embodiment 1:

[0036] See also Figure 1-Figure 4The embodiment of the present invention discloses a 3D printer for ice structure printing that can be used in a 0°C environment or an extremely cold environment, comprising a frame 2, a printing platform 3, a controller 4 and a print head assembly 1; the printing platform 3 is mounted at the lower end of the frame 2, the print head assembly 1 comprises a mounting seat 11, a print nozzle 12, a water supply assembly 13, a nozzle cooling assembly 14 and a spray cooling assembly 15, the mounting seat 11 is multi-directionally slidably mounted on the frame 2 above the printing platform 3; the print nozzle 12 is mounted on the mounting seat 11; the discharge end of the water supply assembly 13 is connected to the feed end of the print nozzle 12; the nozzle cooling assembly 14 is mounted on the outer side wall of the print nozzle 12; the spray cooling assembly 15 is mounted on the mounting seat 11 and its discharge end corresponds to the discharge end of the print nozzle 12; the water supply assembly 13, the nozzle cooling assembly 14 and the spray cooling assembly 15 are all electrically connected to the controller 4.

[0037] It is convenient to obtain materials when making ice structures. Liquid pure water can be directly used as the raw material for making ice sculptures. The water is transported to the printing nozzle 12 through the water supply component 13. Under the action of the nozzle cooling component 14, the water is quickly cooled from room temperature to below the freezing point and sprayed out. The sprayed water layer or ice crystals are quickly condensed on the ice layer below under the cooling of the spray cooling component 15, so that the firmness of the connection between the ice layers can be strengthened when printing layer by layer, thereby improving production efficiency and ensuring printing accuracy.

[0038] Specifically, a printing platform sliding mechanism is also provided, and the printing platform sliding mechanism includes an X-direction sliding mechanism, a Y-direction sliding mechanism and a Z-direction sliding mechanism; the X-direction sliding mechanism includes an X-direction driving mechanism, an X-direction slide rail and an X-direction slider, the X-direction driving mechanism and the X-direction slide rail are both fixed at the lower end of the frame 2 and the X-direction slide rail is arranged along the X-axis direction of the frame 2, the X-direction slider is slidably connected to the X-direction slide rail and is transmission-connected to the output end of the X-direction driving mechanism, and the printing platform 3 is installed at the top of the X-direction slider.

[0039] Specifically, a print head sliding mechanism is further provided, the print head sliding mechanism includes a Z-direction sliding mechanism and a Y-direction sliding mechanism, the Z-direction sliding mechanism includes a Z-direction driving mechanism, a Z-direction slide rail and a Z-direction slider, the Z-direction driving mechanism is mounted on the frame 2, the Z-direction slide rail is arranged along the Z-axis direction of the frame 2 and is mounted on the frame 2, the Z-direction slider is slidably connected to the Z-direction slide rail and is transmission-connected to the output end of the Z-direction driving mechanism;

[0040] The Y-direction sliding mechanism includes a Y-direction driving mechanism, a Y-direction slide rail and a Y-direction slider. The Y-direction driving mechanism and the Y-direction slide rail are both fixed on the Z-direction slider, and the Y-direction slide rail is arranged along the Y-axis direction of the frame 2. The Y-direction slider is slidably connected to the Y-direction slide rail and is transmission-connected to the output end of the Y-direction driving mechanism. The mounting seat 11 is fixed on the Y-direction slider.

[0041] The X-axis driving mechanism, the Y-axis driving mechanism, and the Z-axis driving mechanism may use a gear rack driving mechanism, a screw driving mechanism, or any linear sliding driving mechanism in the prior art, and the X-axis driving mechanism, the Y-axis driving mechanism, and the Z-axis driving mechanism are all electrically connected to the controller 4 .

[0042] Specifically, the water supply component 13 includes a water supply pipe 131 and a water pump 132. The water pump 132 is fixed on the mounting base 11 and electrically connected to the controller 4. The feed end thereof is connected to an external water source such as a water tank and a faucet through the water supply pipe 131. The feed end of the print nozzle 12 is connected to the discharge end of the water pump 132. Water is used as raw material for production, which is environmentally friendly, easy to obtain, and low in cost.

[0043] Specifically, a flow meter is installed on the water pump 132, and the flow meter is electrically connected to the controller 4, so that the water extrusion amount and layer thickness can be adjusted according to the model and printing speed.

[0044] Specifically, a heat preservation sleeve 16 is also provided, and the heat preservation sleeve 16 is sleeved on the outer wall of the water pump 132 and the water supply pipe 131. Since the water supply assembly 13 is basically in a 0°C environment or an extremely cold environment, the heat preservation sleeve 16 can maintain the internal temperature of the water supply pipe 131 and the water pump 132 to be suitable, ensuring that the water remains in a liquid state before entering the print nozzle 12, and preventing ice from blocking the feed channel. In some embodiments, when the ambient temperature is suitable and the water in the water supply pipe 131 can be in a continuous flow state, at this time, since the nozzle cooling assembly 14 provides a low-cold environment for the print nozzle 12, the temperature of the water supply pipe 131 and the water pump 132 near the print nozzle 12 will be reduced accordingly. Therefore, the heat preservation sleeve 16 can be provided only on the outside of the water supply pipe 131 and the water pump 132 near the print nozzle 12 to prevent the internal water flow from freezing.

[0045] Specifically, it also includes a heating assembly 17, which includes a hot water storage tank 171, a heater 172, a hot water pipe 173 and a hot water circulation pump 174. A hot water channel 161 is provided inside the insulation sleeve 16; the return end of the hot water storage tank 171 is connected to the discharge end of the hot water channel 161, and the heater 172 is installed in the hot water storage tank 171; the feed end of the hot water circulation pump 174 is connected to the hot water storage tank 171 through the hot water pipe 173, and the discharge end is connected to the feed end of the hot water channel 161 through the hot water pipe 173. The heater 172 and the hot water circulation pump 174 are both electrically connected to the controller 4. The hot water circulating outside the water supply pipe 131 and the water pump 132 provides a suitable temperature for the water flow inside. The heating temperature of the circulating hot water should not be too high or too low to ensure that the water is in a liquid state before entering the print nozzle 12. In some embodiments, hot air can also be introduced into the hot water channel for heating.

[0046] More specifically, temperature sensors are installed in the water supply pipe 131 and the water pump 132. The temperature sensors are electrically connected to the controller 4 to monitor the temperature of the water supply pipe 131 and the feed channel in the water pump 132 in real time to prevent the temperature from being too high or too low.

[0047] Specifically, the nozzle cooling assembly 14 includes a coolant tank 141, a coolant circulation pump 142, a discharge pipe 143, a spiral cooling pipe 144 and a return pipe 145. The coolant tank 141 is fixed on the mounting base 11, the coolant circulation pump 142 is mounted on the mounting base 11 and electrically connected to the controller 4, and its feed end is connected to the coolant tank 141; the spiral cooling pipe 144 is wound on the outer wall of the print nozzle 12, and its feed end is connected to the discharge end of the coolant circulation pump 142 through the discharge pipe 143, and the discharge end is connected to the coolant tank 141 through the return pipe 145. The coolant is a coolant far below 0°C, which can be low-temperature cold air, liquid nitrogen or other liquid coolants, which can quickly cool the water flow in the print nozzle 12 from room temperature to below freezing point, so that it quickly condenses when it contacts the printing platform 3 or the lower ice structure.

[0048] Specifically, the spray cooling assembly 15 includes an air cooler 151, an air pipe 152 and a cold air nozzle 153. The air cooler 151 is electrically connected to the controller 4. The cold air nozzle 153 is fixed on the mounting base 11, and its air inlet end is connected to the air cooler 151 through the air pipe 152, and the air outlet end corresponds to the discharge end of the printing nozzle 12. The spray cooling assembly 15 can provide a continuous cold air flow, which is blown directly onto the extruded water layer. The extruded water layer is cooled by an ultra-low temperature cold air flow, such as -30°C or lower, to ensure that the water layer condenses immediately after deposition, prevent interlayer flow, and improve the stability of the structure. The air cooler 151 is equipped with a thermometer and a flowmeter, which can adjust the temperature and flow of the cold air to achieve different cooling rates.

[0049] When the 3D printer of the present invention is used to print ice structures, it can effectively prevent water from freezing and hardening in the water supply pipe 131 and the water pump 132, while ensuring that the water squeezed out by the print nozzle 12 can freeze quickly in a low temperature environment to avoid interlayer flow, thereby achieving an efficient and stable printing process.

[0050] Embodiment 2:

[0051] See also Figure 1 This embodiment provides an ice structure printing method, using a 3D printer for printing ice structures in embodiment 1, including the following steps:

[0052] S1. Import the three-dimensional model of the landscape sculpture into the controller 4 of the 3D printer for ice structure printing, and perform layer-by-layer slicing and path planning to achieve precise printing.

[0053] S2. Turn on the printer, and deliver and squeeze water to the print nozzle 12 through the water supply component 13. When the water passes through the print nozzle 12, it is initially cooled by the nozzle cooling component 14 and quickly cooled to below the freezing point. When the low-temperature water or ice crystals are sprayed out from the print nozzle 12, they are further cooled by the cooling spray component to form a thin layer of ice structure, which quickly freezes and hardens on the printing platform 3.

[0054] S3. The multi-layered ice structure freezes and hardens layer by layer to form a three-dimensional ice sculpture or outdoor landscape.

[0055] In this specification, each embodiment is described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to each other. For the device disclosed in the embodiment, since it corresponds to the method disclosed in the embodiment, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the method part.

[0056] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to implement or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention will not be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but rather to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A 3D printer for printing ice structures, comprising a frame (2), a printing platform (3), a controller (4) and a print head assembly (1); the printing platform (3) is mounted at the lower end of the frame (2); characterized in that: The print head assembly (1) comprises: A mounting seat (11), the mounting seat (11) being slidably mounted on the frame (2) above the printing platform (3) in a multi-directional manner; A printing nozzle (12), wherein the printing nozzle (12) is mounted on the mounting seat (11); A water supply component (13), wherein the discharge end of the water supply component (13) is connected to the feed end of the printing nozzle (12); A nozzle cooling assembly (14), the nozzle cooling assembly (14) being mounted on an outer side wall of the printing nozzle (12); A spray cooling assembly (15), the spray cooling assembly (15) being mounted on the mounting seat (11) and having a discharge end corresponding to a discharge end of the printing nozzle (12); The water supply component (13), the nozzle cooling component (14), and the spray cooling component (15) are all electrically connected to the controller (4).

2. A 3D printer for printing ice structures according to claim 1, characterized in that: The water supply assembly (13) comprises a water supply pipe (131) and a water pump (132); the water pump (132) is fixed on the mounting seat (11) and electrically connected to the controller (4); its feed end is connected to an external water source through the water supply pipe (131); and the feed end of the printing nozzle (12) is connected to the discharge end of the water pump (132).

3. A 3D printer for printing ice structures according to claim 2, characterized in that: A flow meter is installed on the water pump (132), and the flow meter is electrically connected to the controller (4).

4. A 3D printer for printing ice structures according to claim 2, characterized in that: A heat-insulating sleeve (16) is also provided, and the heat-insulating sleeve (16) is sleeved on the outer side walls of the water pump (132) and the water supply pipe (131).

5. A 3D printer for printing ice structures according to claim 4, characterized in that: The invention also comprises a heating component (17), wherein the heating component (17) comprises a hot water storage tank (171), a heater (172), a hot water pipe (173) and a hot water circulation pump (174); a hot water channel (161) is provided inside the thermal insulation sleeve (16); a return end of the hot water storage tank (171) is connected to a discharge end of the hot water channel (161), and the heater (172) is installed in the hot water storage tank (171); a feed end of the hot water circulation pump (174) is connected to the hot water storage tank (171) through a hot water pipe (173), and a discharge end is connected to the feed end of the hot water channel (161) through a hot water pipe (173); and the heater (172) and the hot water circulation pump (174) are both electrically connected to the controller (4).

6. A 3D printer for printing ice structures according to claim 5, characterized in that: Temperature sensors are installed in both the water supply pipe (131) and the water pump (132), and the temperature sensors are electrically connected to the controller (4).

7. A 3D printer for printing ice structures according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The nozzle cooling assembly (14) comprises a coolant storage tank (141), a coolant circulation pump (142), a discharge pipe (143), a spiral cooling pipe (144) and a return pipe (145); the coolant storage tank (141) is fixed on the mounting seat (11); the coolant circulation pump (142) is mounted on the mounting seat (11) and is electrically connected to the controller (4), and its feed end is connected to the coolant storage tank (141); the spiral cooling pipe (144) is wound around the outer wall of the printing nozzle (12), and its feed end is connected to the discharge end of the coolant circulation pump (142) through the discharge pipe (143), and the discharge end is connected to the coolant storage tank (141) through the return pipe (145).

8. A 3D printer for printing ice structures according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spray cooling assembly (15) comprises a cold air fan (151), an air supply pipe (152) and a cold air nozzle (153); the cold air fan (151) is electrically connected to the controller (4); the cold air nozzle (153) is fixed on the mounting seat (11), and its air inlet end is connected to the cold air fan (151) through the air supply pipe (152), and its air outlet end corresponds to the discharge end of the printing nozzle (12).

9. A method for printing an ice structure using a 3D printer for printing an ice structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1. Importing the three-dimensional model of the landscape sculpture into the controller (4) of the 3D printer for printing ice structures, performing layer-by-layer slicing and path planning to achieve precise printing. S2, the printer is turned on, water is transported to the print head (12) through the water supply component (13) and squeezed out, the water is initially cooled by the print head cooling component (14) in the print head (12), and the temperature drops rapidly, when the water is sprayed out from the print head (12), the temperature drops further under the action of the cooling spray component, forming a thin layer of ice crystal structure, and then quickly freezes and hardens on the printing platform (3). S3. The multi-layered ice crystal structure freezes and hardens layer by layer to form a three-dimensional ice sculpture or outdoor landscape.

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