Powder spreading device and 3D printing equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to a powder laying device which comprises a powder bin body, a powder blocking assembly and a powder discharging shaft, the powder blocking assembly is arranged on one side of the powder bin body, the powder bin body and the powder blocking assembly form a powder discharging bin, a powder discharging opening is formed in the bottom of the powder discharging bin, and the powder discharging shaft is rotatably arranged at the powder discharging opening. The powder blocking assembly is arranged in the powder discharging bin and extends in the length direction of the powder discharging port, the bottom of the powder blocking assembly is matched with the powder discharging shaft, a plurality of annular powder grooves are formed in the powder discharging shaft in the length direction at intervals, and powder in the powder discharging bin is laid on a powder laying face through the annular powder grooves under the condition that the powder discharging shaft rotates in the first direction. The invention further relates to 3D printing equipment. According to the scheme, the product quality problem caused by the poor powder laying effect of existing 3D printing equipment can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of 3D printing, and in particular to a powder spreading device and 3D printing equipment. Background Art

[0002] In 3D printing technology, granular or powdered materials are usually added to the powder spreader first, and the powder spreader steps forward to spread the powder material on the powder spreading surface, and then the powder is flattened with a scraper or other tools. Finally, the print head selectively sprays the bonding material onto the spread powder according to the cross-sectional shape of the designed product prototype, so that the powder material is bonded together to form the prototype cross-section of the product. After one layer is printed, the workbench descends to the height of a cross-section, and the above steps are repeated until the prototype printing is completed.

[0003] In the 3D printing process of new ceramic materials, many types of ceramic materials are involved. Currently, the commonly used new ceramic materials include silicon carbide ceramics, porous silicon nitride ceramics, alumina ceramics and tricalcium phosphate ceramics. The above ceramic powder materials are easily affected by humidity and produce agglomeration, which leads to poor powder feeding, affects the flatness of the powder surface, and directly affects the quality of the printed products. Summary of the invention

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a powder spreading device and a 3D printing device to address product quality problems caused by poor powder spreading effect of existing 3D printing equipment.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a powder spreading device, comprising a powder bin main body, a powder blocking assembly and a lower powder shaft, wherein the powder blocking assembly is arranged on one side of the powder bin main body, the powder bin main body and the powder blocking assembly constitute a lower powder bin, a lower powder opening is formed at the bottom of the lower powder bin, the lower powder shaft is rotatably arranged at the lower powder opening and is extended along the length direction of the lower powder opening, the bottom of the powder blocking assembly cooperates with the lower powder shaft, and the lower powder shaft is provided with a plurality of annular powder grooves spaced apart along its length direction, and when the lower powder shaft rotates along a first direction, the powder in the lower powder bin is spread on the powder spreading surface through the annular powder grooves.

[0007] In one embodiment, the powder blocking assembly includes a mounting portion and a matching portion, wherein the mounting portion is detachably disposed on one side of the powder bin body, the matching portion is detachably disposed on the bottom of the mounting portion, and the matching portion matches the lower powder shaft.

[0008] In one embodiment, the bottom of the matching portion is in contact with the lower powder shaft.

[0009] In one embodiment, it includes a plurality of connecting baffles of different sizes, wherein the connecting baffles are used to connect the powder blocking assembly with the powder bin body, and the powder blocking assembly cooperates with different positions on the lower powder shaft through the connecting baffles of different sizes.

[0010] In one embodiment, the powder blocking assembly is rotatably disposed on one side of the powder bin body, and the powder blocking assembly cooperates with different positions on the lower powder shaft.

[0011] In one embodiment, the opening of the annular powder groove gradually increases along the radial direction of the lower powder axis.

[0012] In one embodiment, the lower powder shaft includes a plurality of rollers, the plurality of rollers are connected in sequence, and each of the rollers is provided with an independent driving unit, and the driving unit is used to drive each of the rollers to rotate.

[0013] In one of the embodiments, the lower powder shaft also includes a central shaft, and the plurality of rollers are sequentially sleeved on the central shaft. The central shaft is provided with a plurality of driving parts at intervals, and each of the rollers is drivingly connected to the corresponding driving part.

[0014] In one of the embodiments, it further includes a powder spreading piece and two scrapers. The powder spreading piece is arranged at the bottom of the lower powder shaft. The scrapers are respectively arranged on both sides of the bottom of the powder spreading piece. The scrapers extend along the length direction of the powder spreading channel.

[0015] In one embodiment, a material distribution mechanism is further included. The material distribution mechanism is movably disposed in the lower powder bin and extends along the length direction of the lower powder shaft.

[0016] In one of the embodiments, the material distributing mechanism includes a material distributing body and a driving member, the driving member is drivingly connected to the material distributing body, a combing part is provided on the material distributing body, and the driving member drives the combing part to reciprocate in the length direction of the lower powder shaft or to rotate in the lower powder bin.

[0017] In one of the embodiments, a powder scraping mechanism is further included, which is arranged at the bottom of the lower powder shaft. The powder scraping mechanism is provided with a plurality of protrusions matching the annular powder grooves at intervals along its length direction, and each of the annular powder grooves matches the corresponding protrusion.

[0018] In one embodiment, the lower powder shaft includes a plurality of rotating parts, the plurality of rotating parts are sequentially connected, and the annular powder groove is formed between two adjacent rotating parts; preferably, a coating is provided in the annular powder groove.

[0019] In one embodiment, the lower powder shaft is formed by casting, additive manufacturing, and machining.

[0020] In one embodiment, a coating is provided in the annular powder groove.

[0021] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a 3D printing device, comprising the powder spreading device described above.

[0022] The technical solution adopted by the present invention can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0023] In the powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention, the powder blocking assembly and the powder lower shaft cooperate so that the powder in the powder lower bin can be transported to the powder spreading surface only through the multiple material discharge spaces formed by the powder blocking assembly and the multiple annular powder grooves through the rotation of the powder lower shaft. That is, the amount of powder transported depends on the size of the material discharge space, thereby playing the role of quantitative powder discharge through the multiple material discharge spaces, so as to ensure the flatness of the powder spreading surface and improve product quality. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a powder spreading device disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure from another perspective;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of a powder spreading device disclosed in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged schematic diagram of

[0028] Figure 5 It is a schematic structural diagram of a powder spreading device disclosed in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of a powder spreading device disclosed in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 and Figure 8 for Figure 6 A partial enlarged schematic diagram in two states;

[0031] Fig. 9 It is a schematic structural diagram of a powder spreading device disclosed in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Fig.10 It is a schematic structural diagram of a powder spreading device disclosed in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Fig.11It is a schematic structural diagram of a powder spreading device disclosed in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Fig.12 for Fig.11 A partial schematic diagram at one viewing angle;

[0035] Fig.13 It is a schematic structural diagram of a powder spreading device disclosed in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Fig.14 and Fig.15 for Fig.13 Two partial enlarged schematic diagrams of

[0037] Fig.16 for Fig.13 A partial schematic diagram from another perspective;

[0038] Fig.17 It is a partial structural schematic diagram of the material equalizing mechanism disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Description of reference numerals:

[0040] 110 - powder bin body, 120 - powder blocking assembly, 121 - mounting portion, 122 - mating portion, 130 - lower powder shaft, 131 - annular powder groove, 132 - shaded portion, 140 - connecting baffle, 150 - powder spreading part, 160 - scraper, 170 - material equalizing mechanism, 171 - loosening portion, 180 - powder scraping mechanism, 181 - protrusion, 190 - powder spreading roller. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described more fully below with reference to the relevant drawings. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are given in the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the disclosure of the present invention more thoroughly understood.

[0042] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a centered element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a centered element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "bottom end", "top end" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be the only implementation method.

[0043] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art of the present invention. The terms used herein in the specification of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0044] like Figure 1-Figure 17 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a powder spreading device, which is applied to a 3D printing device, so that powder material is evenly spread on a powder spreading surface by moving to realize a powder spreading operation. The powder spreading device specifically includes a powder bin main body 110, a powder blocking assembly 120 and a lower powder shaft 130.

[0045] The powder bin body 110 is the main structure constituting the lower powder bin. Usually, the powder bin body 110 is fixedly mounted on the device body of the powder spreading device. In the embodiment of the present invention, the powder blocking assembly 120 is arranged on one side of the powder bin body 110. The powder bin body 110 and the powder blocking assembly 120 constitute the lower powder bin, that is, the powder blocking assembly 120 is equivalent to a side panel of the lower powder bin, and the lower powder bin is used to temporarily store powder.

[0046] A powder outlet is formed at the bottom of the lower powder bin, and the lower powder shaft 130 is rotatably disposed at the lower powder outlet, and the lower powder shaft 130 is extended along the length direction of the lower powder outlet. Figure 1 At this time, the powder lowering port may be a strip-shaped hole, and the powder lowering shaft 130 may be located on the strip-shaped hole and extend along the length direction of the strip-shaped hole.

[0047] In the embodiment disclosed in the present invention, the bottom of the powder blocking assembly 120 cooperates with the lower powder shaft 130, and the lower powder shaft 130 is provided with a plurality of annular powder grooves 131 spaced apart along its length direction. In this case, the bottom (one end) of the powder blocking assembly 120 cooperates with the top of the annular powder groove 131, which is equivalent to forming a discharge space for conveying powder through the bottom (end) of the powder blocking assembly 120 and the annular powder groove 131, and the plurality of discharge spaces formed by the powder blocking assembly 120 and the plurality of annular powder grooves 131 extend along the length direction of the lower powder shaft 130. Similarly, it can also be explained that the plurality of discharge spaces formed by the powder blocking assembly 120 and the plurality of annular powder grooves 131 extend along the length direction of the lower powder port.

[0048] For details, please refer to Figure 4 That is, during the working process, the powder lowering shaft 130 rotates so that the powder can flow out through the material lowering space formed by the powder blocking component 120 and the annular powder groove 131 (that is, the powder flows out through the cross section formed by the bottom of the powder blocking component 120 and the groove of the annular powder groove 131). Figure 4 The shaded portion 132 in the drawing plays a role in quantitative powder feeding.

[0049] When the lower powder shaft 130 rotates in the first direction (that is, rotates along the axis of the lower powder shaft), the powder in the lower powder bin is carried and transported through the annular powder groove 131 and then laid on the powder laying surface. Figure 2 The first direction is counterclockwise. When powder needs to be laid, part of the lower powder shaft is placed in the powder, and the lower powder shaft 130 rotates counterclockwise, which can drive the powder contained in the annular powder groove 130 in the lower powder bin to rotate with the lower powder shaft. When the lower powder shaft 130 drives the powder to move to the position where the powder blocking component 120 is located, a part of the powder is blocked by the powder blocking component 120, and the other part of the powder in the annular powder groove 131 passes through the position where the powder blocking component 120 is located, and then gradually moves in the direction toward the powder laying surface through the rotation of the lower powder shaft 130, and is finally laid on the powder laying surface through the action of gravity.

[0050] It can be seen from the above content that in the powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention, the powder blocking component 120 and the powder lowering shaft 130 cooperate with each other so that the powder in the powder lowering bin can only be transported to the powder spreading surface through the multiple material discharge spaces formed by the powder blocking component 120 and the multiple annular powder grooves 131 through the rotation of the powder lowering shaft 130, that is, the amount of powder transported depends on the size of the material discharge space, so that the multiple material discharge spaces can play a role in quantitative powder discharge to ensure the flatness of the powder spreading surface and improve product quality; at the same time, through the rotation of the powder lowering shaft 130 and the quantitative powder discharge through the multiple material discharge spaces, it is possible to prevent the powder material from being easily affected by the environment and causing agglomeration, resulting in poor powder discharge, and thus can meet the powder spreading work of various materials such as silicon carbide ceramics, porous silicon nitride ceramics, alumina ceramics and tricalcium phosphate ceramics.

[0051] At the same time, the above-mentioned powder spreading device is not only applicable to ceramic materials, but also to metal powders, as well as quartz sand, silica sand, etc. used in sand molds.

[0052] Of course, in the embodiments disclosed in the present invention, the rotation speed of the lower powder shaft 130 can also be controlled to control the amount of powder to be lowered, so as to meet the powder spreading requirements of different working conditions. Furthermore, there can be a variety of arrangement and layout methods for the multiple annular powder grooves 131. For example, the multiple annular powder grooves 131 can be evenly distributed in the length direction of the lower powder shaft 130 to ensure the uniformity of powder spreading at each position; at the same time, in the middle of the lower powder shaft 130 along the direction extending on both sides, the distance between two adjacent annular powder grooves 131 can gradually increase to meet the uniform powder spreading requirements under special working conditions. There can also be a variety of arrangement and layout methods for the multiple annular powder grooves 131, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to this.

[0053] Furthermore, it should be noted that the center lines of the plurality of annular powder grooves 131 may be perpendicular to the axis of the powder lowering shaft 130 , and the plurality of annular powder grooves 131 are arranged in parallel to ensure the powder lowering effect.

[0054] In the embodiment disclosed in the present invention, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be an integrated structural member or a split structural member. In an optional solution, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be an integrated structural member. In this case, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be detachably arranged on one side of the powder bin body 110 by bonding, clamping or bolting, so as to constitute a part of the lower powder bin. This method can facilitate the molding of the lower powder bin and improve the installation efficiency.

[0055] Further, the bottom (one end) of the integrated powder blocking assembly 120 may be in contact with the lower powder shaft 130, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 Specifically, the bottom (one end) of the powder blocking assembly 120 contacts the top of the annular powder groove 131 on the lower powder shaft 130, so that the bottom (one end) of the powder blocking assembly 120 is closed at the top of the annular powder groove 131, so that the size of the material discharge space formed is the size of the cross section of the annular powder groove 131. For details, please refer to Figure 4 In this case, multiple fixed-size material feeding spaces are used to quantitatively feed powder, so as to ensure the flatness of the powdering surface and improve product quality.

[0056] Furthermore, the bottom (one end) of the integrated powder blocking component 120 may be provided with a plurality of mating protrusions spaced apart along the length direction of the powder blocking component 120, and each mating protrusion may match the structure of the corresponding annular powder groove 131, please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 At this time, a material discharge space is formed between the mating protrusion and the annular powder groove, and the material in the material discharge bin is transported to the powder laying surface through this material discharge space, which plays the role of quantitative powder discharge to ensure the flatness of the powder laying surface and improve product quality.

[0057] Further, the powder blocking assembly 120 is movably arranged on one side of the powder bin body 110, and specifically, the bottom of the powder blocking assembly 120 can be moved in a direction toward or away from the lower powder shaft 130. At this time, the position of the powder blocking assembly 120 can be adjusted to change the gap size between the matching protrusion and the annular powder groove 131, so as to control the amount of powder to be lowered, thereby meeting the powder spreading requirements of different working conditions. Moreover, the above-mentioned method can also meet the powder spreading requirements of materials with different particle sizes and different materials, so as to improve the practicality of the equipment. For example, when the fluidity of the material is poor, the gap between the matching protrusion and the annular powder groove 131 can be made larger; when the fluidity of the material is good, the gap between the matching protrusion and the annular powder groove 131 can be made smaller, so that the lower powder shaft 130 can achieve a better conveying effect for materials with different fluidities. Specifically, an adaptive gap can be selected according to the characteristics of the material to meet the powder spreading requirements of different materials.

[0058] Of course, in the above case, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be movably arranged on one side of the powder bin body 110 through a driving mechanism, that is, the powder blocking assembly 120 is driven by the driving mechanism to move in a direction toward or away from the powder discharge shaft 130 to improve the automation level of the device. Specifically, the movement of the powder blocking assembly 120 can be automatically controlled according to different powder discharge requirements or different materials to meet the powder discharge requirements.

[0059] When the powder blocking assembly 120 is an integrated structural component, the specific shape of the powder blocking assembly 120 can be various. For example, the mating portion 122 can be a plate-like component, a cylindrical component, or a structural component of other shapes, such as a polygonal shape such as a triangle or a quadrilateral in cross section. In other words, any structural component that can cooperate with the lower powder shaft 130 in the length direction of the lower powder shaft 130 is not limited to the above-mentioned structure.

[0060] Optionally, the powder blocking assembly 120 may be in the shape of a cylindrical member. In this case, the powder blocking assembly 120 may be fixedly disposed on one side of the powder bin body 110, or may be rotatably disposed on one side of the powder bin body 110, and the embodiment of the present invention does not limit this. Furthermore, when the powder blocking assembly 120 is rotatably disposed on one side of the powder bin body 110, the powder blocking assembly 120 may be provided with an independent driving unit so that the rotation speed of the powder blocking assembly 120 is adjustable and the rotation direction is replaceable, that is, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be rotated counterclockwise or clockwise, thereby meeting the powder spreading requirements under different working conditions.

[0061] In another optional solution, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be a split structural member. Specifically, the powder blocking assembly 120 can include a mounting portion 121 and a matching portion 122. The mounting portion 121 can be detachably arranged on one side of the powder bin body 110. Specifically, the mounting portion 121 can be detachably arranged on one side of the powder bin body 110 by bonding, clamping or bolting to form a part of the lower powder bin. The matching portion 122 can be detachably arranged at the bottom of the mounting portion 121, and the matching portion 122 can match with the lower powder shaft 130. In this case, the mounting portion 121 can provide a mounting position for the matching portion 122, so that only the position of the matching portion 122 can be adjusted to achieve the matching effect with the lower powder shaft 130. It can be seen that the above method is not only conducive to the assembly of the powder blocking assembly 120, but also convenient for matching with the lower powder shaft 130.

[0062] At the same time, the matching portion 122 is detachably arranged at the bottom of the mounting portion 121 , and can also play a role in replacing the matching portion 122 at any time, so as to improve practicality.

[0063] Furthermore, there may be a variety of ways in which the mating portion 122 may be detachably connected to the mounting portion 121. In an optional solution, a mounting groove may be provided at the bottom of the mounting portion 121, and the mating portion 122 may be connected to the mounting groove by bonding, snapping, magnetic connection, or bolt connection to facilitate detachable installation of the mating portion 122.

[0064] In the above case, the mating portion 122 may optionally contact the lower powder shaft 130. Figure 2 and Figure 3 Specifically, the bottom (one end) of the matching portion 122 contacts the top of the annular powder groove 131 on the lower powder shaft 130, so that the bottom (one end) of the matching portion 122 is closed at the top of the annular powder groove 131, so that the size of the formed material discharge space is the size of the cross section of the annular powder groove 131. For details, please refer to Figure 4 In this case, multiple fixed-size material feeding spaces are used to quantitatively feed powder, so as to ensure the flatness of the powdering surface and improve product quality.

[0065] At the same time, the matching portion 122 can be a rigid part or a flexible part, and the embodiment of the present invention does not limit this. In an optional embodiment, in order to ensure the contact effect with the lower powder shaft 130, the matching portion 122 can be a flexible part, for example, the matching portion 122 can be a rubber part. This method can not only ensure the contact effect between the matching portion 122 and the lower powder shaft 130, but also make the matching portion 122 in contact with the lower powder shaft 130 have less influence on the rotation effect of the lower powder shaft 130. Of course, the mounting portion 121 and the matching portion 122 can both be one-piece molded parts to improve molding efficiency; the mounting portion 121 and the matching portion 122 can also be molded by multi-section splicing to ensure the straightness of the mounting portion 121 and the matching portion 122, and the embodiment of the present invention does not limit this.

[0066] Furthermore, the bottom (one end) of the matching portion 122 may be provided with a plurality of matching protrusions spaced apart along the length direction of the powder blocking assembly 120, and each matching protrusion may match the structure of the corresponding annular powder groove 131, please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 At this time, a material discharge space is formed between the mating protrusion and the annular powder groove, and the material in the material discharge bin is transported to the powder laying surface through this material discharge space, which plays the role of quantitative powder discharge to ensure the flatness of the powder laying surface and improve product quality.

[0067] Further, a plurality of mating parts 122 of different sizes may be included, and the plurality of mating parts 122 of different sizes may be installed and matched with the mounting part 121. Specifically, each mating part 122 of different sizes is provided with a protrusion of different sizes, so that by replacing the mating parts 122 of different sizes, the size of the gap between the mating protrusion and the annular powder groove 131 can be changed to control the amount of powder to be lowered, thereby meeting the requirements for powdering under different working conditions. Moreover, the above-mentioned method can also meet the requirements for powdering of materials of different particle sizes and different materials, so as to improve the practicality of the equipment. For example, when the fluidity of the material is poor, the gap between the mating protrusion and the annular powder groove 131 can be made larger; when the fluidity of the material is good, the gap between the mating protrusion and the annular powder groove 131 can be made smaller, so that the powder lowering shaft 130 can achieve a better conveying effect for materials of different fluidities. Specifically, an adaptive gap can be selected according to the characteristics of the material to meet the requirements for powdering of different materials.

[0068] The specific shape of the matching portion 122 can be various. For example, the matching portion 122 can be a plate-shaped member, a cylindrical member, or a structural member of other shapes, such as a polygonal cross-section such as a triangle or a quadrilateral. Fig. 9 , Fig.10 The shape of the matching portion 122 shown, that is, any structural member that can match with the lower powder shaft 130 in the length direction of the lower powder shaft 130 , is not limited to the above structure.

[0069] Optionally, the shape of the matching portion 122 may be a cylindrical member, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown. At this time, the matching portion 122 can be fixedly disposed on one side of the powder bin body 110, or can be rotatably disposed on one side of the powder bin body 110, and the embodiment of the present invention does not limit this. In addition, when the matching portion 122 is rotatably disposed on one side of the powder bin body 110, the matching portion 122 can be provided with an independent driving portion, so that the rotation speed of the matching portion 122 can be adjusted and the rotation direction can be changed, that is, the matching portion 122 can be rotated counterclockwise or clockwise, thereby meeting the powder spreading requirements under different working conditions.

[0070] The powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention may further include a plurality of connecting baffles 140 of different sizes, and the connecting baffles 140 may be used to connect the powder blocking assembly 120 and the powder bin body 110, that is, the connecting baffles 140 may be inserted between the powder blocking assembly 120 and the powder bin body 110 to connect the powder blocking assembly 120 and the powder bin body 110, and finally realize the molding of the lower powder bin, such as Figure 1 This connection method has a simple structure and operation method, and can quickly realize the assembly of the powder blocking assembly 120 and the powder bin body 110. Specifically, the connecting baffle 140 can be connected to the powder blocking assembly 120 and the powder bin body 110 by bolt connection, or by clamping, etc., which is not limited in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0071] Furthermore, the connecting baffle 140 may include a plurality of different sizes, and the powder blocking assembly 120 may be matched with different positions on the lower powder shaft 130 through connecting baffles 140 of different sizes. Specifically, when a connecting baffle 140 of one size is used to connect the powder blocking assembly 120 and the powder bin body 110, the powder blocking assembly 120 may be matched with the first position of the lower powder shaft 130; when a connecting baffle 140 of another size is used to connect the powder blocking assembly 120 and the powder bin body 110, the powder blocking assembly 120 may be matched with the second position of the lower powder shaft 130, and the first position and the second position are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the lower powder shaft 130. In this case, the powder blocking assembly 120 may be matched with different positions on the lower powder shaft 130 by replacing connecting baffles 140 of different sizes.

[0072] In the above case, by replacing the connecting baffles 140 of different sizes, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be matched with different positions on the lower powder shaft 130, so as to meet the powder laying requirements of materials with different particle sizes and different materials, so as to improve the practicality of the equipment. For example, when the fluidity of the material is poor, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be controlled to cooperate with the position of the lower powder shaft 130 away from the powder bin body 110; when the fluidity of the material is good, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be controlled to cooperate with the position of the lower powder shaft 130 close to the powder bin body 110, so that the lower powder shaft 130 can achieve a better conveying effect for materials with different fluidities. Specifically, according to the characteristics of the material, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be selected to cooperate with different positions of the lower powder shaft 130 to meet the powder laying requirements of different materials.

[0073] Furthermore, when a connecting baffle 140 of a certain size is used to connect the powder blocking assembly 120 and the powder bin body 110, the number of connecting baffles 140 may be multiple, and the multiple connecting baffles may be spaced apart in the length direction of the powder blocking assembly 120 or the powder bin body 110 to ensure connection stability.

[0074] In another optional solution, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be rotatably disposed on one side of the powder bin body 110, and the powder blocking assembly 120 can be matched with different positions on the lower powder shaft 130. This method can also meet the powder laying requirements of materials with different particle sizes and different materials to improve the practicality of the equipment. For example, when the fluidity of the material is poor, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be controlled to cooperate with the position of the lower powder shaft 130 away from the powder bin body 110; when the fluidity of the material is good, the powder blocking assembly 120 can be controlled to cooperate with the position of the lower powder shaft 130 close to the powder bin body 110, so that the lower powder shaft 130 can achieve a better conveying effect for materials with different fluidities. Specifically, according to the characteristics of the material, different positions of the powder blocking assembly 120 and the lower powder shaft 130 can be selected to meet the powder laying requirements of different materials.

[0075] Furthermore, the top of the powder blocking assembly 120 can be rotatably arranged so that the bottom of the powder blocking assembly 120 rotates around its top to meet the powder discharging requirements of materials with different particle sizes and different materials. Of course, in this case, the powder blocking assembly 120 can include a mounting portion 121 and a matching portion 122, the mounting portion 121 is rotatably arranged on one side of the powder bin body 110, the matching portion 122 is detachably arranged at the bottom of the mounting portion 121, and the matching portion 122 can be matched with the lower powder shaft 130, so that in order to meet the effect that different positions can be matched with the lower powder shaft 130, the matching portions 122 of different sizes can be replaced.

[0076] In the above case, not only can the powder blocking assembly 120 be coordinated with different positions on the lower powder shaft 130 to meet the powder lowering requirements of materials with different particle sizes and different materials; the size of the lower sand bin can also be controlled by changing the position of the powder blocking assembly 120 to adapt to different equipment and working conditions.

[0077] In the embodiment of the present invention, the annular powder groove 131 may have various specific shapes. Optionally, the opening of the annular powder groove 131 may gradually increase along the radial direction of the lower powder shaft 130, such as Figure 4 As shown, the cross section of the annular powder groove 131 along the radial direction of the powder lowering shaft 130 is a trapezoid with a small bottom and a large opening. The annular powder groove 131 of this structure can not only meet the powder lowering efficiency, but also has a good anti-sand sticking effect compared with other structures, and can better play the role of quantitative powder lowering. Furthermore, in order to better play the role of anti-sand sticking, the bottom corners of the annular powder groove 131 can be chamfered to ensure a better sand flowing effect.

[0078] Of course, if Figure 7 As shown, the cross section of the annular powder groove 131 along the radial direction of the lower powder axis 130 can also be triangular, rectangular, semicircular, etc., which is not limited in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] In the embodiment disclosed in the present invention, the lower powder shaft 130 may include a plurality of rollers, the plurality of rollers may be connected in sequence, and each roller may be provided with an independent driving unit, and the driving unit may be used to drive each roller to rotate. In this case, it is equivalent to dividing the lower powder shaft 130 into multiple sections along its length direction, and each section has an independent driving unit, and then the corresponding rollers are driven to rotate by the driving unit respectively, so that the rotation speed of the plurality of rollers can be adjusted. When the lower powder shaft 130 of this structure is adopted, the powder spreading requirements under different working conditions can be met. For example, when the powder is not smoothly distributed at a certain position along the length direction of the lower powder shaft 130, the powder spreading requirements at this position can be met by increasing the rotation of the roller at the position. In summary, this method can better play the role of quantitative powder distribution by adjusting the rotation speed of each roller.

[0080] In an optional embodiment, the lower powder shaft 130 may further include a central shaft, a plurality of rollers may be sequentially sleeved on the central shaft, a plurality of driving parts may be spaced apart on the central shaft, and each roller may be drivingly connected to a corresponding driving part. This method is not only convenient for the overall assembly of the lower powder shaft 130, but also convenient for realizing the independent driving effect of each roller.

[0081] Furthermore, each roller can be sequentially sleeved on the central axis through bearings, a conductive ring can be provided in the middle position of the inner cavity of each roller, and metal contacts corresponding to each conductive ring can be provided on the roller; a coil can also be provided on the inner side of each roller, and permanent magnets corresponding to each coil can be arranged in sections on the central axis, each metal contact can be connected to each cable respectively, and a channel for each cable to pass through is provided along the axial direction of the central axis, that is, each cable is connected to each metal contact after passing through the channel.

[0082] When the powder spreading device starts to step, the control unit controls each cable to be energized, each metal contact and each conductive ring to be energized, and each roller with a coil is equivalent to a rotor. After power is supplied, the rotor can rotate around the central axis, that is, each roller rotates around the central axis, thereby achieving the effect of driving each roller separately.

[0083] At the same time, a sensor can be provided at the position corresponding to each roller. When the amount of powder discharged at the position corresponding to a certain sensor needs to be adjusted, the rotational speed of the roller corresponding to the sensor needs to be adjusted. At this time, the control unit controls the output current of the cable corresponding to the roller to change and then adjust the rotational speed of the roller. That is, a permanent magnet is arranged on the central axis and a coil is arranged on each roller. When the input current on each roller changes, the rotational speed of the roller will also change accordingly. Therefore, the amount of powder discharged can be accurately controlled in sections by controlling the rotational speed of each roller in the extension direction of the scraper plate, so that the powder spreading surface can always remain flat.

[0084] The powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention can be a one-way powder spreading device or a two-way powder spreading device. When the powder spreading device is a one-way powder spreading device, a scraper 160 or a powder spreading roller 190 can be used to flatten the powder surface, and the embodiment of the present invention does not limit this.

[0085] When the powder spreading device is a bidirectional powder spreading device, in an optional solution, the powder spreading device may further include a powder spreading member 150 and two scrapers 160, please refer to Fig.13 The powder spreading member 150 can be arranged at the bottom of the lower powder shaft 130, and scrapers 160 can be arranged on both sides of the bottom of the powder spreading member 150. When spreading powder along the first powder spreading direction, one of the scrapers 160 plays a role of scraping powder to ensure the flatness of the powder spreading surface; when spreading powder along the direction opposite to the first powder spreading direction, the other scraper 160 plays a role of scraping powder, thereby achieving the effect of two-way powder spreading. In this case, the powder is directly spread on the powder spreading surface.

[0086] Furthermore, the powder spreading member 150 may be provided with a powder spreading channel, which may face the lower powder shaft 130. At this time, the powder output through the lower powder shaft 130 falls into the powder spreading channel due to gravity. The powder spreading channel may face the powder spreading surface, so that the powder can fall onto the powder spreading surface through the powder spreading channel.

[0087] Furthermore, scrapers 160 may be provided on both sides of the bottom of the powder spreading channel, and the scrapers 160 may extend along the length direction of the powder spreading channel. In this case, when spreading powder along the first powder spreading direction, one of the scrapers 160 plays a role of scraping powder to ensure the flatness of the powder spreading surface; when spreading powder in the direction opposite to the first powder spreading direction, the other scraper 160 plays a role of scraping powder, thereby achieving the effect of two-way powder spreading. In the specific installation process, the two scrapers 160 can be symmetrically arranged based on the bottom of the powder spreading channel to better achieve the effect of two-way powder spreading.

[0088] In another optional solution, the powder spreading device may further include a powder spreading member 150 and two powder spreading rollers 190, see Fig.11 The powder spreading piece 150 can be arranged at the bottom of the lower powder shaft 130, and the powder spreading piece 150 can be provided with a powder spreading channel, which can face the lower powder shaft 130. At this time, the powder output through the lower powder shaft 130 falls into the powder spreading channel due to gravity, and the powder spreading channel can face the powder spreading surface, so that the powder can fall onto the powder spreading surface through the powder spreading channel.

[0089] In addition, powder spreading rollers 190 may be provided on both sides of the bottom of the powder spreading channel, and the powder spreading rollers 190 may extend along the length direction of the powder spreading channel. In this case, when spreading powder along the first powder spreading direction, one of the powder spreading rollers 190 scrapes the powder to ensure the flatness of the powder spreading surface; when spreading powder in the direction opposite to the first powder spreading direction, the other powder spreading roller 190 scrapes the powder, thereby achieving the effect of two-way powder spreading. In the specific installation process, the two powder spreading rollers 190 may be symmetrically arranged based on the bottom of the powder spreading channel to better achieve the effect of two-way powder spreading.

[0090] In the above case, multiple powder spreading rollers 190 can be arranged on both sides of the bottom of the powder spreading channel. The multiple powder spreading rollers 190 are distributed in sequence at intervals in the powder spreading direction, and the distance between them and the powder spreading surface gradually decreases. Therefore, when the powder spreading operation is carried out along one powder spreading direction, the multiple powder spreading rollers 190 can scrape and press the powder to ensure the powder spreading quality.

[0091] The powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention may further include a material distribution mechanism 170, which may be movably disposed in the lower powder bin, and the material distribution mechanism 170 may extend along the length direction of the lower powder shaft 130. At this time, before the powder is transported through the lower powder shaft 130, the material distribution mechanism 170 is first moved to loosen the powder in the lower powder bin, and while preventing the agglomerated powder from falling into the lower powder shaft 130, the powder can also be dispersed to various positions along the length direction of the lower powder shaft 130 to ensure the uniformity of the powder transport of the lower powder shaft 130.

[0092] Furthermore, the material distribution mechanism 170 can be movable in a variety of ways, such as vibration, up and down swinging, left and right swinging, etc. In an optional solution, the material distribution mechanism 170 can include a material distribution body and a driving member, the driving member can be connected to the driving of the material distribution body, and a combing part 171 can be provided on the material distribution body, and the combing part 171 plays a role in loosening the powder in the lower powder bin to prevent the agglomerated powder from falling into the lower powder shaft 130; and the driving member drives the combing part 171 to reciprocate in the length direction of the lower powder shaft 130 or to rotate in the lower powder bin, so that the powder can be evacuated and transported to various positions along the length direction of the lower powder shaft 130 to ensure the uniformity of the powder feeding of the lower powder shaft 130. Of course, the material distribution body can also add other ways of movement, that is, the material distribution body can be made to swing in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the lower powder shaft 130, thereby achieving a better effect of loosening the powder. Of course, the loosening portion 171 may be comb teeth, and during operation, a plurality of continuously distributed teeth come into contact with the powder, thereby achieving the function of powder conveying; the loosening portion 171 may also be brush teeth, and this embodiment of the present invention does not impose any limitation on this.

[0093] Furthermore, the material distribution body can have a variety of structures. Optionally, the material distribution body can be a single plate-shaped structure to facilitate processing and assembly; the material distribution body can also be a structural member with a "V"-shaped cross section, such as Fig.17 As shown, when the material distribution body of this structure is assembled, the "V"-shaped opening can face the lower powder shaft 130, that is, the combing parts 171 on both sides can face the lower powder shaft 130, thereby playing a better role in loosening the powder; the material distribution body can also be a spiral rod or a stirring rod with loosening blades, which rotates or reciprocates in the lower powder bin.

[0094] The material distribution body may also be a rotatable structural member, and the combing parts 171 may include a plurality of combing parts 171, and the plurality of combing parts 171 may be distributed at intervals in the circumferential direction of the material distribution body, such as Figure 3 At this time, the powder in the lower powder bin is continuously dispersed by the multiple rows of loosening parts 171 to ensure the uniformity of powder feeding by the lower powder shaft 130. The material distribution body can also be a structural member of other shapes, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0095] The powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention may further include a powder scraping mechanism 180, which may be disposed at the bottom of the lower powder shaft 130. The powder scraping mechanism 180 may be provided with a plurality of protrusions 181 that match the annular powder grooves 131 at intervals along its length direction, and each annular powder groove 131 may match the corresponding protrusion 181. In this case, when the powder material rotates to the bottom of the lower powder shaft 130, a portion of the powder material falls due to gravity, and another portion of the powder material that sticks to the annular powder groove 131 may be scraped off by the powder scraping mechanism 180, thereby ensuring quantitative powder laying and also playing the role of cleaning the annular powder groove 131.

[0096] The specific shape of the powder scraping mechanism 180 can be various. In an optional embodiment, the powder scraping mechanism 180 can be a plate-shaped mechanism, such as Fig.13 At this time, the plate-shaped mechanism is inserted at the bottom of the powder lowering shaft 130, and the protrusion 181 on the plate-shaped mechanism not only plays the role of quantitative powder lowering, but also plays the role of cleaning the annular powder groove 131. The powder scraping mechanism 180 of this structure is simple to manufacture, easy to install and occupies a small use space.

[0097] In another optional embodiment, the powder scraping mechanism 180 may be a cylindrical mechanism, such as Fig.11 As shown, at this time, the protrusion 181 on the cylindrical mechanism is arranged at the bottom of the lower powder shaft 130, and it can not only play the role of quantitative powder discharge, but also play the role of cleaning the annular powder groove 131. Further, the cylindrical mechanism can rotate the bottom of the lower powder shaft 130, and the protrusion 181 on the cylindrical mechanism can be an annular protrusion matching the annular powder groove 131. During the working process, the rotation direction of the cylindrical mechanism is opposite to the rotation direction of the lower powder shaft 130, so as to better play the role of quantitative powder discharge and also play the role of cleaning the annular powder groove 131. Optionally, the cylindrical mechanism can be an integral brush roller or a round roller with brushes arranged at intervals.

[0098] Of course, the powder scraping mechanism 180 can also be a structural member of other shapes, such as a polygonal cross section such as a triangle or a quadrilateral. Fig.14 and Fig.15 That is, any structural member that can cooperate with the lower powder shaft 130 in the length direction of the lower powder shaft 130 is not limited to the above structure.

[0099] In the embodiment of the present invention, the lower powder shaft 130 can be an integrally formed part or a processed part. In an optional solution, the lower powder shaft 130 can include a plurality of rotating parts, and the plurality of rotating parts can be connected in sequence, and an annular powder groove 131 can be formed between two adjacent rotating parts. This method makes it easy to form the lower powder shaft 130, that is, to form the annular powder groove 131.

[0100] In another optional embodiment, the molding method of the lower powder shaft 130 may include casting, additive manufacturing, and machining. This method makes the molded lower powder shaft 130 stronger and more precise. Of course, there may be a variety of molding methods for the lower powder shaft 130, which are not limited in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0101] In the embodiment disclosed in the present invention, a coating may be provided in the annular powder groove 131, and the coating may play the role of anti-sticking, anti-corrosion, anti-rust, etc., so as to better ensure the quantitative powder feeding. Of course, the specific material of the coating may include Teflon, silicon carbide, etc., and the embodiment of the present invention does not limit this.

[0102] Based on the powder spreading device disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention, the embodiment of the present invention further discloses a 3D printing device, and the disclosed 3D printing device includes the powder spreading device described in any embodiment above.

[0103] The above-mentioned embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present invention, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this field, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present invention shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. A powder spreading device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a powder bin body (110), a powder blocking component (120) and a lower powder shaft (130), wherein the powder blocking component (120) is arranged on one side of the powder bin body (110), the powder bin body (110) and the powder blocking component (120) constitute a lower powder bin, a lower powder opening is formed at the bottom of the lower powder bin, the lower powder shaft (130) is rotatably arranged at the lower powder opening and is extended along the length direction of the lower powder opening, the bottom of the powder blocking component (120) is matched with the lower powder shaft (130), and the lower powder shaft (130) is provided with a plurality of annular powder grooves (131) spaced apart along the length direction thereof, and when the lower powder shaft (130) rotates along a first direction, the powder in the lower powder bin is spread on the powder spreading surface through the annular powder grooves (131).

2. The powder spreading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The powder blocking assembly (120) includes a mounting portion (121) and a matching portion (122), wherein the mounting portion (121) is detachably disposed on one side of the powder bin body (110), and the matching portion (122) is detachably disposed on the bottom of the mounting portion (121), and the bottom of the matching portion (122) matches with the lower powder shaft (130).

3. The powder spreading device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom of the matching portion (122) is in contact with the lower powder shaft (130).

4. The powder spreading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It comprises a plurality of connecting baffles (140) of different sizes, wherein the connecting baffles (140) are used to connect the powder blocking assembly (120) and the powder bin body (110), and the powder blocking assembly (120) cooperates with different positions on the lower powder shaft (130) through the connecting baffles (140) of different sizes.

5. The powder spreading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The powder blocking component (120) is rotatably disposed on one side of the powder bin body (110), and the powder blocking component (120) cooperates with different positions on the lower powder shaft (130).

6. The powder spreading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The opening of the annular powder groove (131) gradually increases in the radial direction of the lower powder axis (130).

7. The powder spreading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower powder shaft (130) comprises a plurality of rollers, the plurality of rollers are connected in sequence, and each of the rollers is provided with an independent driving unit, and the driving unit is used to drive each of the rollers to rotate.

8. The powder spreading device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The lower powder shaft (130) also includes a central shaft, and the plurality of rollers are sequentially sleeved on the central shaft. The central shaft is provided with a plurality of driving parts at intervals, and each roller is drivingly connected to the corresponding driving part.

9. The powder spreading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a powder spreading piece (150) and two scrapers (160), wherein the powder spreading piece (150) is arranged at the bottom of the lower powder shaft (130), and the scrapers (160) are respectively arranged on both sides of the bottom of the powder spreading piece (150), and the scrapers (160) extend along the length direction of the powder spreading piece (150).

10. The powder spreading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a material distribution mechanism (170), which is movably arranged in the lower powder bin and extends along the length direction of the lower powder shaft (130).

11. The powder spreading device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The material distribution mechanism (170) comprises a material distribution body and a driving member, wherein the driving member is drivingly connected to the material distribution body, and a combing part (171) is provided on the material distribution body, and the driving member drives the combing part (171) to reciprocate in the length direction of the lower powder shaft (130) or to rotate in the lower powder bin.

12. The powder spreading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The invention also comprises a powder scraping mechanism (180), wherein the powder scraping mechanism (180) is arranged at the bottom of the lower powder shaft (130), and the powder scraping mechanism (180) is provided with a plurality of protrusions (181) matching the annular powder grooves (131) at intervals along the length direction thereof, and each of the annular powder grooves (131) matches the corresponding protrusion (181).

13. The powder spreading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower powder shaft (130) comprises a plurality of rotating parts, the plurality of rotating parts are sequentially connected, and an annular powder groove (131) is formed between two adjacent rotating parts; preferably, a coating is provided in the annular powder groove (131).

14. A 3D printing device, characterized in that: A powder spreading device comprising the powder spreading device described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

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