Automatic leveling hot end quick release module of 3D printer

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of 3D printing equipment, in particular to a 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module which comprises a back plate, a nozzle assembly, a heating assembly, a rebound assembly and a strain gauge. The springback assembly comprises a guide column and an elastic piece, the heating assembly is in sliding fit with the guide column, and the elastic piece applies vertical elastic force to the heating assembly; the nozzle assembly is detachably connected with the heating assembly, the strain gauge is arranged on the back plate, and the nozzle assembly is provided with a connecting end vertically abutting against the working end of the strain gauge. Through contact between the strain gauge sensing module and the printing platform, leveling of the printing platform is achieved through the 3D printer. After leveling is completed, the springback assembly drives the heating assembly, the nozzle assembly and the strain gauge to reset to the original state, and mistaken touch or mistaken reading caused by residual force is avoided. The nozzle assembly, the heating assembly and the springback assembly are relatively independent, so that the nozzle assembly and the heating assembly can be independently detached, rapid maintenance is conveniently achieved, and the reliability of equipment is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of 3D printing equipment, and in particular to an automatic leveling hot end quick-release module for a 3D printer. Background Art

[0002] Since its inception, 3D printing technology has developed rapidly with its high flexibility, low manufacturing cost and wide range of applications, becoming an important part of modern manufacturing. Early 3D printers mainly relied on manual leveling of the distance between the nozzle and the printing platform, which was not only time-consuming but also prone to errors, resulting in printing failures or poor quality of finished products. With the advancement of technology, hot end quick-release components and leveling technology have been gradually introduced, greatly improving printing efficiency and success rate.

[0003] For nozzle leveling, current 3D printers mostly use the following methods: 1. Manual leveling: 3D printers usually need to manually adjust the distance between the nozzle and the platform to ensure that the first layer of printing can be evenly attached to the platform. 2. Mechanical probe leveling: Measure the height change of the platform through physical contact and feed the data back to the control system for adjustment. 3. Capacitive / optical / laser sensor leveling: Use non-contact sensors to detect the platform height, reducing the possibility of wear and error.

[0004] As for the hot end quick release, the traditional structure often adopts an integrated nozzle module, which integrates the heating block, temperature sensor, nozzle and other components together, so that the user can quickly replace the nozzle when blockage occurs.

[0005] However, the nozzle leveling technology and hot end quick release technology mentioned above have the following problems: the manual leveling process is not only time-consuming, but also prone to errors, resulting in printing failures or poor quality of finished products. Although mechanical probe leveling is effective, it has problems such as probe wear and contact error. Sensor leveling is costly and sensitive to ambient light. Traditional integrated nozzle modules have the problem of poor independence between modules, making it difficult to achieve quick replacement and repair. For example, when adjusting components such as heating blocks, temperature sensors, and nozzles, users are required to manually plug and unplug the wiring harness, which is not convenient and improper operation may cause the plug to loosen, deform, or break, affecting the reliability of the electrical connection.

[0006] Therefore, how to quickly level the nozzle and achieve quick disassembly of the hot end while overcoming the problems existing in the above-mentioned traditional technologies is a problem that needs to be solved in the current development of the industry. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present application provides a 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module, which adopts the following technical solution: A 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick-release module, comprising a back plate, a nozzle assembly, a heating assembly, a rebound assembly, and a strain gauge; The rebound assembly includes a guide column and an elastic member, wherein the guide column is vertically arranged on the back plate; the heating assembly is slidably matched with the guide column, and the elastic member is arranged on the guide column and is used to apply a vertical elastic force to the heating assembly; the nozzle assembly is vertically arranged and detachably connected to the heating assembly; The strain gauge is arranged on the back plate, and the nozzle assembly has a connecting end, which is located below the strain gauge and vertically abuts against the working end of the strain gauge.

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, the system first drives the quick-release module close to the bottom printing platform until the two are in contact. The contact between the nozzle assembly and the platform will generate a reverse force, which is transmitted to the strain gauge. After the strain gauge senses the reverse force, it transmits the signal to the control system. The control system accurately calculates the height of the current platform based on the feedback data of the strain gauge, so as to facilitate the subsequent leveling of the printing platform by the printer. After the leveling is completed, under the action of the rebound assembly, the heating assembly and the nozzle assembly are reset, and the strain gauge is also reset to the original state to avoid false touch or erroneous readings caused by residual force. Therefore, the leveling of the printing platform can be effectively achieved through the strain gauge and the rebound assembly.

[0009] In addition, the nozzle assembly, heating assembly and rebound assembly are relatively independent, so that the nozzle assembly and heating assembly can be disassembled separately, which is convenient for quick maintenance and helps to improve the reliability of the equipment.

[0010] Preferably, the strain gauge is arranged above the nozzle assembly, the upper end of the nozzle assembly serves as a connecting end, the connecting end is a columnar body, a connecting groove is provided on the strain gauge, and the connecting end is snap-fitted with the connecting groove.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, the setting of the connecting column and the connecting groove facilitates the efficient and stable connection between the nozzle assembly and the strain gauge, which can not only facilitate the disassembly and assembly of the nozzle assembly, but also enable stable force transmission between the nozzle assembly and the strain gauge, thereby helping to improve the leveling accuracy of the printing platform.

[0012] Preferably, the nozzle assembly comprises a throat, a nozzle, a first heating block and a radiator; the throat is arranged vertically, and the nozzle is fixedly arranged at the lower end of the throat; the lower part of the throat is fixedly connected to the first heating block, and the upper part is fixedly connected to the radiator; The first heating block is detachably connected to the heating assembly; the connecting end is arranged on the top of the radiator.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, the throat allows the printing material to flow to the nozzle. The heating assembly and the first heating block can conduct efficient heat to ensure the normal operation of the nozzle assembly, while the radiator can prevent the nozzle assembly from overheating. At the same time, the connection end is arranged on the top of the radiator, and the strain gauge can also contact the radiator, thereby reducing the heat transfer between the nozzle assembly and the strain gauge, while achieving the heat dissipation of the strain gauge, and avoiding the interference of temperature on the accuracy of the strain gauge.

[0014] Preferably, the lower portion of the throat is passed through the first heating block and is interference fit with the first heating block; the upper portion of the throat is passed through the radiator; and the radiator includes a plurality of vertically distributed fins.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the cooperation between the throat and the first heating block can improve the heating efficiency, while the structural form of the radiator and the cooperation between the radiator and the throat can improve the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0016] Preferably, the heating assembly comprises a second heating block, the second heating block is provided with a mounting bayonet, the mounting bayonet faces downward; the nozzle assembly has a mounting clamp, the mounting clamp is inserted into the mounting bayonet from below; The mounting clamp is detachably connected to the second heating block via a fastener.

[0017] By adopting the above-mentioned technical scheme, through the cooperation between the mounting clamp and the mounting bayonet, a stable connection between the nozzle assembly and the second heating block can be achieved. At the same time, the structural form of the mounting bayonet can ensure the force transmission between the nozzle assembly, the heating assembly and the rebound assembly, so as to facilitate the rebound of the nozzle assembly and ensure the normal operation of the device.

[0018] Preferably, a first mounting groove is formed on the second heating block, and the first heating block is arranged in the first mounting groove; the opening of the first mounting groove and the opening of the connecting groove are both arranged horizontally and in the same direction.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, the setting of the first installation groove can improve the stability between the first heating block and the second heating block. At the same time, the opening of the first installation groove is consistent with the opening of the connecting groove, making the nozzle assembly more convenient and efficient during disassembly and assembly.

[0020] Preferably, the heating assembly also includes a heating plate and a spring sheet; a second mounting groove is provided on the second heating block, the heating plate is arranged in the second mounting groove, the spring sheet is arranged on the side of the heating plate facing away from the second heating block, the spring sheet is fixedly connected to the second heating block and applies an elastic force to the heating plate so that the heating plate is tightly attached to the second heating block.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, the second heating block can be heated by the heating sheet, and the second mounting groove can improve the heat conduction efficiency. The spring sheet can make the heating sheet fit tightly with the second heating block to ensure uniform heating. A thermistor can also be set inside the second heating block to monitor the temperature change, which not only improves the heating efficiency but also enhances the accuracy of temperature control.

[0022] Preferably, the rebound component further comprises a heat insulation board, and the heat insulation board is slidably connected to the guide rod; the heating component is fixedly mounted on the heat insulation board; The back plate is provided with a fixing block, and the end of the guide rod is connected to the fixing block; the elastic member is a spring, and the spring is sleeved on the guide rod, and the two ends of the spring are respectively in contact with the heat insulation plate and the fixing block.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, the heat insulation board can isolate the heat transfer between the heating component and the back plate, preventing the components installed on the back plate from being affected by the heat. At the same time, the heat insulation board provides a basis for the installation of the heating component, facilitates the disassembly and assembly of the heating component, and improves the stability of the heating component. The setting of the spring can provide a stable elastic force to ensure the normal rebound of the heating component and the nozzle component.

[0024] Preferably, a positioning portion is further provided on the heat insulation board, and when the nozzle assembly is mounted on the heat insulation board, it abuts against the positioning portion to achieve positioning of the nozzle assembly.

[0025] By adopting the above technical solution, when the nozzle assembly is disassembled and assembled, the nozzle assembly is positioned by abutting against the positioning portion, so as to facilitate the installation of the nozzle assembly.

[0026] In summary, the present invention includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: 1. Through the cooperation of strain gauge and springback assembly, accurate automatic leveling function is realized, which significantly improves the leveling accuracy and speed of the printing platform and solves the problems of time-consuming, error-prone and contact error existing in traditional manual leveling and mechanical probe leveling; 2. The independent design of the nozzle assembly and the heating assembly allows each component to be disassembled and replaced separately, which simplifies the maintenance process, improves the reliability and service life of the equipment, and avoids the electrical connection problems that may be caused by the disassembly and assembly of the traditional integrated nozzle module; 3. The design of the radiator effectively reduces the temperature of the nozzle assembly and prevents heat from being transferred to the strain gauge, ensuring the stability and accuracy of the strain gauge operation and further improving the performance of the entire system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the automatic leveling hot end quick-release module of the 3D printer in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the automatic leveling hot end quick-release module of the 3D printer in the embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heating assembly in the embodiment of the present application, and is mainly used to show the structure of the spring sheet and the heating sheet.

[0028] Markings in the accompanying drawings: 1. back plate; 11. fixing block; 2. nozzle assembly; 21. throat; 22. nozzle; 23. first heating block; 231. mounting clamp; 24. heat sink; 25. connecting end; 3. heating assembly; 31. second heating block; 311. mounting clamp; 312. first mounting slot; 313. second mounting slot; 32. heating plate; 33. spring; 4. rebound assembly; 41. guide column; 42. elastic member; 43. heat insulation board; 431. positioning part; 5. strain gauge; 51. connecting slot. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following is combined with Figure 1-3 The present invention is described in further detail.

[0030] The present application embodiment provides a 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module, which is applied to a 3D printer. Figure 1 and Figure 2 , specifically comprising a back plate 1, a nozzle assembly 2, a heating assembly 3, a rebound assembly 4, and a strain gauge 5. The rebound assembly 4 comprises a guide post 41 and an elastic member 42, wherein the guide post 41 is vertically arranged on the back plate 1; the heating assembly 3 is slidably matched with the guide post 41, and the elastic member 42 is arranged on the guide post 41 and is used to apply a vertical elastic force to the heating assembly 3; the nozzle assembly 2 is vertically arranged and detachably connected to the heating assembly 3; the strain gauge 5 is arranged on the back plate 1, and the nozzle assembly 2 has a connecting end 25, which is located below the strain gauge 5 and vertically abuts against the working end of the strain gauge 5.

[0031] In specific work, the 3D printer realizes the leveling of the printing platform by sensing the contact between the module and the printing platform through the strain gauge 5. After the leveling is completed, the rebound component 4 drives the heating component 3, the nozzle component 2 and the strain gauge 5 to reset to the original state to avoid false touch or wrong reading caused by residual force. The nozzle component 2, the heating component 3 and the rebound component 4 are relatively independent, so that the nozzle component 2 and the heating component 3 can be disassembled separately, which is convenient for rapid maintenance and improves the reliability of the equipment.

[0032] Specifically, a fixing block 11 is provided on the back plate 1, and the end of the guide column 41 is fixed to the fixing block 11 by threaded connection. The rebound component 4 also includes a heat insulation board 43, and the heat insulation board 43 has a guide sleeve, and the guide sleeve is connected to the guide column 41. The elastic member 42 adopts a spring and is sleeved on the outside of the guide column 41. The two ends of the spring are respectively in contact with the heat insulation board 43 and the fixing block 11 to provide a stable rebound force.

[0033] The heat insulation board 43 provides a mounting base for the heating assembly 3. The heating assembly 3 is relatively isolated from the back plate 1. The heating assembly 3 includes a second heating block 31 fixed on the heat insulation board 43. The second heating block 31 is made of aluminum alloy material, which has excellent thermal conductivity and mechanical strength, and can quickly and evenly transfer heat to the nozzle assembly 2, so that the melting cavity material inside it is quickly melted and ready for printing.

[0034] A first mounting groove 312 is formed on the side of the second heating block 31 facing away from the heat insulation board 43 . The opening of the first mounting groove 312 is oriented horizontally for mounting the nozzle assembly 2 . A second mounting groove 313 is formed on the side of the second heating block 31 facing the heat insulation board 43 .

[0035] Reference Figure 3 The heating assembly 3 also includes a ceramic heating plate 32 disposed in the second mounting groove 313, and the ceramic heating plate 32 is electrically connected to the control system of the 3D printer to achieve heating and heat supply. A spring 33 is also fixed to the second heating block 31, and the spring 33 extends to the side of the heating plate 32 facing away from the second heating block 31 and abuts against the heating plate 32, so that the heating plate 32 is closely attached to the second heating block 31 to improve the uniformity and heating efficiency of heating.

[0036] Furthermore, a thermistor is disposed inside the second heating block 31 to monitor temperature changes, which not only improves the heating efficiency but also enhances the accuracy of temperature control.

[0037] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The nozzle assembly 2 includes a throat 21, a nozzle 22, a first heating block 23 and a radiator 24. The throat 21 is arranged vertically, and a matching hole is provided on the first heating block 23 and plugged with the lower part of the throat 21. The throat 21 and the matching hole are interference fit, so as to achieve a stable connection between the first heating block 23 and the throat 21 and improve the heat conduction efficiency.

[0038] The first heating block 23 is arranged in the first mounting groove 312. In order to realize the connection between the first heating block 23 and the second heating block 31, and thus realize the connection between the nozzle assembly 2 and the heating assembly 3, a connecting plate is arranged on the second heating block 31, and the connecting plate is located on one side of the first mounting groove 312. A mounting bayonet 311 is arranged on the connecting plate, and the mounting bayonet 311 faces downward. A mounting clamp 231 is arranged on the first heating block 23, and the mounting clamp 231 can be inserted into the mounting bayonet 311 from below the mounting bayonet 311, and the mounting bayonet 311 is connected to the second heating block 31 by bolts, thereby realizing the connection between the first heating block 23 and the second heating block 31.

[0039] The nozzle 22 is disposed below the first heating block 23 and is threadedly connected to the first heating block 23 . The nozzle 22 is butted against the bottom of the throat 21 to ensure smooth flow of printing materials.

[0040] The radiator 24 is plugged into the upper part of the throat 21 and fixed by bolts. The radiator 24 has a plurality of vertically distributed fins to increase the heat dissipation surface and improve the heat dissipation efficiency. A connection end 25 is provided at the top of the radiator 24. The connection end 25 is a columnar body and is hollow. The feed pipe of the printer can be connected to the throat 21 through the connection end 25 to realize the feeding of printing materials.

[0041] The strain gauge 5 is made of semiconductor material, has high sensitivity, fast response speed, and can accurately sense the change of the reverse force. The strain gauge 5 is fixedly connected to the back plate 1 by bolts, and the strain gauge is arranged just above the nozzle assembly 2. A connecting groove 51 is arranged on the strain gauge 5, and the notch of the connecting groove 51 is oriented in the horizontal direction and in the same direction as the first installation groove 312. When installing the nozzle assembly 2, the first heating block 23 is installed in the first installation groove 312, and the connecting end 25 is engaged with the connecting groove 51.

[0042] In order to improve the stability between the nozzle assembly 2 and the strain gauge, the connection end 25 and the connection groove 51 are interference fit, and at the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the connection end 25 has a certain degree of mobility, so as to ensure that the connection end 25 is detachable.

[0043] In addition, in order to facilitate the installation of the nozzle assembly 2, a positioning portion 431 is further provided on the heat insulation board 43, and the positioning portion 431 extends upward to between the radiator 24 and the back plate 1. When installing the nozzle assembly 2, the radiator 24 can be abutted against the positioning portion 431. The positioning portion 431 has a certain thickness, which can play a certain supporting and positioning role for the radiator 24, so that the first heating block 23 can be quickly installed in the first installation groove 312, and the connection end 25 can be quickly snap-fitted with the connection groove 51.

[0044] The implementation principle of the 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module in the embodiment of the present application is as follows: the control system of the 3D printer drives the quick release module as a whole to approach the printing platform. And the nozzle assembly 2 is brought into contact with the printing platform. The contact between the nozzle assembly 2 and the platform generates a reverse force, which is transmitted to the strain gauge 5. After the strain gauge 5 senses the reverse force, it transmits the signal to the control system. The control system accurately calculates the height of the current platform based on the feedback data of the strain gauge 5. This process provides reference data for subsequent leveling.

[0045] Secondly, the initial leveling is performed. The control system performs preliminary leveling of the printing platform based on the data of the first height detection, aiming to ensure that the initial distance between the nozzle assembly 2 and the platform is uniform and consistent, laying the foundation for fine leveling.

[0046] Then, the control system will start the leveling procedure again to make more precise height adjustment. During this process, the strain gauge 5 continues to monitor the height change of the printing platform in real time to ensure that the leveling accuracy of each point is optimized.

[0047] After each leveling is completed, the spring rebound component 4 mechanism works to reset the strain gauge 5 to its original state to avoid false touches or erroneous readings caused by residual force. After the control system confirms that all leveling points have reached the expected accuracy, it officially enters the printing preparation stage.

[0048] When the user needs to replace the nozzle assembly 2, the user only needs to loosen the bolts on the heating block to easily remove the nozzle assembly 2. This design not only simplifies the replacement steps, but also avoids the additional risks brought by the user plugging and unplugging the wiring harness, thereby improving maintenance efficiency.

[0049] The embodiments of this specific implementation method are all preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent changes made based on the structure, shape, and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module, characterized by: It comprises a back plate (1), a nozzle assembly (2), a heating assembly (3), a rebound assembly (4), and a strain gauge (5); The rebound assembly (4) comprises a guide column (41) and an elastic member (42), wherein the guide column (41) is vertically arranged on the back plate (1); the heating assembly (3) is slidably matched with the guide column (41), and the elastic member (42) is arranged on the guide column (41) and is used to apply a vertical elastic force to the heating assembly (3); the nozzle assembly (2) is vertically arranged and detachably connected to the heating assembly (3); The strain gauge (5) is arranged on the back plate (1), and the nozzle assembly (2) has a connection end (25), wherein the connection end (25) is located below the strain gauge (5) and vertically abuts against a working end of the strain gauge (5).

2. The 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The strain gauge (5) is arranged above the nozzle assembly (2); the upper end of the nozzle assembly (2) serves as a connection end (25); the connection end (25) is a columnar body; a connection groove (51) is provided on the strain gauge (5); the connection end (25) is snap-fitted with the connection groove (51).

3. The 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The nozzle assembly (2) comprises a throat (21), a nozzle (22), a first heating block (23) and a radiator (24); the throat (21) is arranged vertically, and the nozzle (22) is fixedly arranged at the lower end of the throat (21); the lower part of the throat (21) is fixedly connected to the first heating block (23), and the upper part is fixedly connected to the radiator (24); The first heating block (23) is detachably connected to the heating assembly (3); and the connection end (25) is arranged on the top of the radiator (24).

4. The 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The lower portion of the throat (21) is inserted through the first heating block (23) and is interference-fitted with the first heating block (23); the upper portion of the throat (21) is inserted through the radiator (24); and the radiator (24) comprises a plurality of vertically distributed fins.

5. The 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The heating assembly (3) comprises a second heating block (31), the second heating block (31) being provided with a mounting bayonet (311), the mounting bayonet (311) facing downwards; the nozzle assembly (2) has a mounting clamp (231), the mounting clamp (231) being inserted into the mounting bayonet (311) from below the mounting bayonet (311); The mounting clamp (231) is detachably connected to the second heating block (31) via a fastener.

6. The 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module according to claim 5, characterized in that: The second heating block (31) is provided with a first mounting groove (312), and the first heating block (23) is arranged in the first mounting groove (312); the opening of the first mounting groove (312) and the opening of the connecting groove (51) are both arranged horizontally and in the same direction.

7. The 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module according to claim 5, characterized in that: The heating assembly (3) further comprises a heating sheet (32) and an elastic sheet (33); a second mounting groove (313) is provided on the second heating block (31), the heating sheet (32) is arranged in the second mounting groove (313), the elastic sheet (33) is arranged on a side of the heating sheet (32) facing away from the second heating block (31), the elastic sheet (33) is fixedly connected to the second heating block (31) and applies an elastic force to the heating sheet (32) so that the heating sheet (32) and the second heating block (31) are in close contact.

8. The 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The rebound component (4) further comprises a heat insulation plate (43), wherein the heat insulation plate (43) is slidably connected to the guide rod; the heating component (3) is fixedly mounted on the heat insulation plate (43); A fixing block (11) is provided on the back plate (1), and the end of the guide rod is connected to the fixing block (11); the elastic member (42) is a spring, which is sleeved on the guide rod, and the two ends of the spring are respectively in contact with the heat insulation plate (43) and the fixing block (11).

9. The 3D printer automatic leveling hot end quick release module according to claim 8, characterized in that: The heat insulation board (43) is also provided with a positioning portion (431), and when the nozzle assembly (2) is mounted on the heat insulation board (43), it abuts against the positioning portion (431) to achieve positioning of the nozzle assembly (2).

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