Multi-nozzle switching 3D printer, nozzle grabbing, butting and separating method and control method

By setting a drive mechanism and a female head on the nozzle holder of the 3D printer, the nozzle body and the nozzle holder can be quickly connected and separated, and electrical components are shared. This solves the problems of low filament changing efficiency and high cost in multi-color/multi-material printing, and realizes efficient and low-cost nozzle switching.

CN120828535APending Publication Date: 2025-10-24ZHEJIANG FLASHFORGE 3D TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202510395901.3
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2024-04-19
Filing Date
2025-03-31
Publication Date
2025-10-24

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

When existing FDM 3D printers perform multi-color/multi-material printing, the filament changing efficiency of a single nozzle is low and the cost is high, while the nozzle body of a multi-nozzle system is heavy and the electrical components are redundant.

Method used

3D printers with multi-nozzle switching can achieve quick connection and separation of the nozzle body and the nozzle seat by setting a drive mechanism and a female head on the nozzle seat. They share electrical components and only perform mechanical structure docking, simplifying the electrical docking process.

Benefits of technology

Improves color/material change efficiency, reduces cost and weight, extends the life of electrical components, and simplifies maintenance processes.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention discloses a multi-nozzle switching 3D printer, a nozzle grabbing and butting method, a nozzle separating method and a control method.The multi-nozzle switching 3D printer comprises a movement mechanism, a nozzle seat and a plurality of nozzle bodies, the nozzle bodies are positioned on a base of the 3D printer, the movement mechanism is connected with the nozzle seat, and the nozzle seat is provided with a driving mechanism and a female head; the nozzle body is provided with a male head and an extrusion mechanism, and the male head is in transmission connection with the extrusion mechanism; the female head can be inserted into the male head so that the female head and the male head can be in transmission connection, and butt joint of the nozzle base and the nozzle body is achieved so that the nozzle body can leave the base. The driving mechanism and other electrical elements are arranged on the nozzle base, the nozzle body is provided with the transmission mechanism, the electrical elements and the nozzle body are separated, the multi-nozzle printing system can share one set of electrical elements, wire replacement can be efficiently achieved, and cost and weight can be reduced.
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Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of 3D printing equipment, in particular to a multi-nozzle switching 3D printer, a nozzle grabbing and docking method, a nozzle separating method and a control method. BACKGROUND

[0002] The FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printer melts and deposits the printing consumables to the printing platform by heating the printing nozzle at high temperature, and the melted printing consumables quickly solidify when they contact the printing platform. The printing nozzle deposits the printing consumables layer by layer to the printing platform along the set printing path, thereby constructing a model with a three-dimensional structure.

[0003] The nozzle assembly generally includes a driving mechanism, an extrusion mechanism and a hot end assembly, the hot end assembly includes a throat, a heating block and a nozzle, the extrusion mechanism is used for downward conveying of the filament, the driving mechanism provides power for the extrusion mechanism, the heating block is used for heating the melted filament conveyed by the extrusion mechanism, and the nozzle is used for extruding the melted filament to the printing platform. The nozzle assembly is generally fixed on the X / Y slider to move in the X or Y direction.

[0004] In order to realize multi-color / multi-material printing, two schemes can be adopted: (1) single nozzle plus material station, wherein the scheme of single nozzle plus material station has low filament changing efficiency, and the original filament in the single nozzle needs to be completely discharged before the new filament is introduced, which causes serious filament waste and long printing time. (2) Multi-nozzle grabbing, each independent nozzle is provided with a complete filament conveying mechanism and a hot end assembly, wherein the filament conveying mechanism refers to the extrusion mechanism and the driving mechanism for driving the extrusion mechanism to move, and the weight and cost of the nozzle are high. It is a technical problem to be improved to provide a printing system and a printing method capable of quickly changing color / material and reducing cost and weight. SUMMARY

[0005] To solve the above technical problems, the present application provides a multi-nozzle switching 3D printer, a nozzle grabbing and docking method and a nozzle separating method, which can efficiently change the filament and reduce the cost and weight.

[0006] The present application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] In a first aspect, a multi-nozzle switching 3D printer is provided, which includes a motion mechanism and a nozzle assembly, the nozzle assembly includes a nozzle seat and a nozzle body, a plurality of replaceable nozzle bodies are hung on the base of the 3D printer, the motion mechanism is connected with the nozzle seat, the nozzle seat has a driving mechanism and a female head, and the female head is in transmission connection with the driving mechanism;

[0008] The nozzle body has a male head and an extrusion mechanism, and the male head is in transmission connection with the extrusion mechanism;

[0009] The female head can be plugged into the male head so that the female head and the male head are connected in transmission, thereby realizing the docking of the nozzle seat and the nozzle body so that the nozzle body leaves the base; or the female head can be separated from the male head so that the female head and the male head are disconnected in transmission, thereby realizing the separation of the nozzle seat and the nozzle body so that the nozzle body returns to the base.

[0010] In a second aspect, a nozzle grabbing and docking method for a multi-nozzle switching device is provided, which is applied to the multi-nozzle switching 3D printer. The nozzle grabbing and docking method comprises the following steps:

[0011] The nozzle holder is controlled by the motion mechanism to move to the front of the pre-grabbed nozzle body, and the first matching portion of the nozzle holder is matched with the first positioning portion of the nozzle body to be positioned, and the female head of the nozzle holder is plugged into the male head of the nozzle body;

[0012] After detecting that the nozzle holder has grasped the corresponding nozzle body, the nozzle holder is controlled to move away from the nozzle fixing position, breaking away from the nozzle fixing position and the positioning of the nozzle body, and completing the grasping of the nozzle.

[0013] In a third aspect, a method for separating a nozzle with multiple nozzles is provided, which is applied to the 3D printer with multiple nozzles. The method for separating the nozzles comprises the following steps:

[0014] The nozzle holder is controlled to move to the original nozzle fixing position by the motion mechanism, the first positioning pin is inserted into the first positioning hole of the nozzle body, and the second positioning pin is inserted into the second positioning hole of the nozzle body;

[0015] Controlling the power mechanism to drive the lock to the unlocking position and release the engagement with the locking groove;

[0016] The first magnet at the nozzle fixing position is attracted to the second magnet of the nozzle body, thereby controlling the nozzle seat to move away from the nozzle body, thereby separating the nozzle body from the nozzle seat.

[0017] In a fourth aspect, a control method for multi-nozzle switching is provided, which is applied to the multi-nozzle switching 3D printer, comprising:

[0018] When the control system of the 3D printer issues a printing instruction and requires a certain nozzle body to work, the motion mechanism controls the nozzle holder to move to the front of the pre-grabbed nozzle body, and the first matching portion of the nozzle holder cooperates with the first positioning portion of the nozzle body to be positioned, the female head of the nozzle holder is plugged into the male head of the nozzle body, and the power mechanism is controlled to drive the lock to move to the locking position and engage with the locking groove;

[0019] After detecting that the nozzle seat is grabbed to the corresponding nozzle body, the nozzle seat is controlled to move away from the nozzle fixing position, to separate the nozzle fixing position and the nozzle body, to complete the nozzle grabbing, and to execute the printing task;

[0020] When it is needed to end the printing task of the current nozzle body, the nozzle seat is controlled to move to the original nozzle fixing position by the movement mechanism, the first positioning pin is inserted into the first positioning hole of the nozzle body, and the second positioning pin is inserted into the second positioning hole of the nozzle body;

[0021] The power mechanism is controlled to work to drive the lock catch to move to the unlocking position and to be disengaged from the locking groove;

[0022] The first magnet of the nozzle fixing position is attracted to the second magnet of the nozzle body, the nozzle seat is controlled to move away from the nozzle body, and the separation of the nozzle body and the nozzle seat is realized.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following advantages:

[0024] 1. By arranging the driving mechanism and other electrical elements in the nozzle seat and arranging the transmission mechanism such as the extrusion mechanism in the nozzle body, the electrical elements and the nozzle body are separated, so that a plurality of nozzle printing systems can share a set of electrical elements, and it is not necessary to arrange the driving mechanism of the corresponding extrusion mechanism in each nozzle body, thereby saving cost and reducing the space occupied by each nozzle body and weight.

[0025] 2. The butt joint transmission of the nozzle body and the nozzle seat is realized by the quick plug-in of the male head and the female head, which is convenient and fast.

[0026] 3. When a nozzle of a certain color / material is needed, the nozzle seat only needs to be moved to the front of the corresponding nozzle body and butt joint to grab the nozzle of the color / material for printing, and when switching is needed, the original nozzle body is placed back to the original position, and a new nozzle body is grabbed to realize color / material switching, the grabbing and placing method is simple, the butt joint speed is fast and reliable.

[0027] 4. Compared with each nozzle body independently carrying electrical elements, the above nozzle grabbing and butt joint method only needs to perform mechanical structure butt joint, and does not need to perform electrical butt joint, so that the butt joint speed is faster. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 It is a structure diagram of the nozzle assembly of the present application after butt joint and suspension on the X-axis beam;

[0029] Figure 2 It is a structure diagram of the nozzle assembly of the present application after butt joint and suspension on the X-axis beam; Figure 1

[0030] Figure 3 It is a structure diagram of the nozzle assembly of the present application after butt joint and suspension on the X-axis beam; Figure 1 ​Another exploded view of the nozzle assembly from a different angle.

[0031] Figure 4 A structure diagram of the nozzle seat of the present application.

[0032] Figure 5 A structure diagram of the nozzle seat of the present application. Figure 4 A structure diagram of the nozzle seat of the present application without the shell, when the lock catch is in the unlocked position.

[0033] Figure 6 A rear view of the nozzle body of the present application.

[0034] Figure 7 A structure diagram of the nozzle body of the present application from a different angle. Figure 6

[0035] Figure 8 A structure diagram of the nozzle body of the present application from a different angle.

[0036] Figure 9 A structure diagram of the nozzle body of the present application from a different angle.

[0037] Figure 10 A structure diagram of the nozzle assembly of the present application after docking (without the nozzle seat shell), when the lock catch is in the locked position.

[0038] Figure 11 A structure diagram of the drive shaft and the driving feed wheel of the present application.

[0039] Figure 12 A structure diagram of the front cover of the present application from a different angle.

[0040] Figure 13 A structure diagram of the multi-nozzle switching 3D printer of the present application.

[0041] Figure 14 A structure diagram of the multi-nozzle switching 3D printer of the present application. Figure 13 A structure diagram of the nozzle fixing position of the multi-nozzle switching 3D printer of the present application.

[0042] Figure 15 A structure diagram of the nozzle body of the second embodiment of the present application.

[0043] Figure 16 A structure diagram of the second locking mechanism of the second embodiment of the present application.

[0044] Figure 17 An exploded view of the second locking mechanism of the second embodiment of the present application.

[0045] Figure 18 A structure diagram of the locking ring of the second embodiment of the present application in the locked position.​

[0046] Figure 19 Structure diagram of the locking ring of the second embodiment of the application in the unlocked position;

[0047] Figure 20 Structure diagram of the first structure of the locking ring of the second embodiment of the application;

[0048] Figure 21 Structure diagram of the second structure of the locking ring of the second embodiment of the application;

[0049] Figure 22 Structure diagram of the planetary gear set of the second embodiment of the application;

[0050] Figure 23 Exploded view of the second locking mechanism of the third embodiment of the application;

[0051] Figure 24 Structure diagram of the first structure of the locking ring of the third embodiment of the application;

[0052] Figure 25 Front view of the fixing shell of the third embodiment of the application;

[0053] Figure 26 Front view of the fixing shell, the locking ring and the locking member of the third embodiment of the application.

[0054] In the drawings:

[0055] 100, 3D printer;

[0056] 1, nozzle seat; 11, driving mechanism; 111, driving motor; 112, PCB circuit board; 12, female head; 13, shell; 131, first matching part; 1311, first positioning slope; 1312, second positioning slope; 1313, top surface; 132, butt joint hole; 14, base; 141, support; 142, opening; 15, lock catch; 16, PCB circuit board of Hall sensor; 17, second cooling fan; 18, steering engine;

[0057] 2, nozzle body; 21, male head; 22, extrusion mechanism; 221, driving feed wheel; 2211, hob; 222, passive feed wheel; 223, first elastic member; 224, pressing block; 23, hot end assembly; 231, nozzle; 232, throat; 233, heating block; 234, fin; 235, first heat dissipation fan; 24, front cover; 241, first positioning hole; 242, second positioning hole; 243, second magnet; 244, third magnet; 25, rear cover; 251, rotating shaft; 252, protruding part; 253, first positioning part; 26, transmission shaft; 27, positioning wheel; 271, locking groove; 281, second elastic member; 282, steel ball; 283, sleeve; 291, first bearing; 292, second bearing;

[0058] 3, wire material;

[0059] 4, motion mechanism; 41, linear guide rail; 42, cross beam; 43, sliding block; 44, X-axis sliding block;

[0060] 5, base; 51, nozzle fixing position; 511, first positioning pin; 512, second positioning pin; 513, first magnet; 52, Hall sensor;

[0061] 6, second locking mechanism; 61, locking joint; 611, locking boss; 62, locking ring; 621, abutting part; 622, driving tooth segment; 63, driving member; 631, driving gear; 632, speed reduction motor; 64, fixed shell; 641, annular locking frame; 6411, sliding groove; 6412, locking hole; 6413, limiting edge; 651, locking plate; 652, locking inclined surface; 66, retaining ring; 67, sliding bearing; 68, locking member;

[0062] 7, planetary gear set; 71, outer gear ring; 72, output gear; 73, planet carrier; 731, limiting protrusion; 74, planet gear;

[0063] 8, elastic mechanism; 81, spring; 82, spring base; 821, limiting part; 822, large diameter part; 823, small diameter part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] In order to facilitate the understanding of the technical scheme of the present application, the following will be described in detail in combination with the drawings and specific embodiments.

[0065] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present invention. They are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0066] In addition, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0067] First embodiment

[0068] See also Figures 1-12 , is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention including a quickly dockable nozzle assembly. The quickly dockable nozzle assembly includes a nozzle base 1 and at least one nozzle body 2. The nozzle base 1 can be set on the motion mechanism 4 of the 3D printer. The motion mechanism 4 can be an X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis motion mechanism. The nozzle base 1 has a drive mechanism 11 and a female head 12, and the female head 12 is transmission-connected to the drive mechanism 11; the nozzle body 2 includes a male head 21, an extrusion mechanism 22, and a hot end assembly 23. The male head 21 is transmission-connected to the extrusion mechanism 22, and the extrusion mechanism 22 is used to extrude the filament 3 into the hot end assembly 23. The female head 12 can be quickly plugged into the male head 21 to achieve a transmission connection between the female head 12 and the male head 21, thereby docking the nozzle base 1 with the nozzle body 2; the female head 12 and the male head 21 can also be quickly separated to disconnect the transmission connection between the female head 12 and the male head 21, so that the nozzle base 1 is separated from the nozzle body 2.

[0069] The structures of the nozzle holder 1 and the nozzle body 2 are further described below.

[0070] like Figure 4 、 Figure 5 As shown, the nozzle holder 1 includes a shell 13 and a base 14. The shell 13 and the base 14 are fastened together to form an accommodating space. The drive mechanism 11 includes a drive motor 111 and a PCB circuit board 112. The drive motor 111 and the PCB circuit board 112 are arranged in the accommodating space. The PCB circuit board 112 is used to control the drive motor 111. The output shaft of the drive motor 111 is fixedly connected to the female connector 12. The shape of the female connector 12 is not limited. It can be complementary to the male connector 21 to achieve mating. In this embodiment, the female connector 12 presents a concave star-shaped key, and the male connector 21 provided on the nozzle body 2 presents a protruding star-shaped structure. The star key and the star-shaped structure are plugged together to transmit the power of the drive motor 111 to the extrusion mechanism 22 through the male connector 21.

[0071] As shown in Figure 6-Figure 9 , the nozzle body 2 comprises a front cover 24 and a rear cover 25, the front cover 24 and the rear cover 25 are buckled to form a containing space. The rear cover 25 is arranged closer to the nozzle seat 1 than the front cover 24. The nozzle body 2 comprises a transmission shaft 26, one end of the transmission shaft 26 has a star-shaped structure with a protrusion, i.e. the male head 21. The star-shaped structure is located outside the containing space, protrudes from the rear cover 25 and is arranged towards the female head 12 of the nozzle seat 1, and the remaining part of the transmission shaft 26 is located in the containing space. When the male head 21 is inserted with the female head 12, the male head 21 is at least partially located in the nozzle seat 1. It can be understood that the female head 12 can also be arranged to protrude from the shell 13, and the male head 21 is located in the nozzle body 2, and when the male head 21 is inserted with the female head 12, the female head 12 is located in the nozzle body 2.

[0072] As shown in Figure 8 , Figure 9 , Figure 11 , the extrusion mechanism 22 comprises a driving feed wheel 221 and a driven feed wheel 222, the driving feed wheel 221 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the shaft body of the transmission shaft 26 which is not provided with the star-shaped structure, and the driving feed wheel 221 can rotate with the transmission shaft 26. One circle of the outer periphery of the driving feed wheel 221 is provided with an inner recessed gear 2211, and the wire material 3 is extruded downward from the gap between the gear 2211 of the driving feed wheel 221 and the driven feed wheel 222. The driven feed wheel 222 is a top tight bearing in this embodiment, and the top tight bearing is tightly pressed between the top tight bearing and the driving feed wheel 221 by a top tight mechanism. The top tight mechanism comprises a first elastic member 223 and a top tight block 224, the top tight bearing is arranged at one end of the top tight block 224, a rotating shaft 251 is arranged on the inner side of the rear cover 25, the middle part of the top tight block 224 is fixed on the rotating shaft 251 and can rotate with the rotating shaft 251, and the other end of the top tight block 224 is provided with a limiting groove, one end of the first elastic member 223 is located in the limiting groove, and the other end of the first elastic member 223 abuts against the protruding part 252 on the inner side of the rear cover 25. The first elastic member 223 can make the one end of the top tight block 224 provided with the top tight bearing close to the driving feed wheel 221, so as to make the top tight bearing cooperate with the gear 2211 of the driving feed wheel 221 to complete the extrusion of the wire material. As other embodiments, the driven feed wheel 222 can also be a gear with a gear 2211, and the driving feed wheel 221 and the driven feed wheel 222 are in meshing transmission, and the wire material is extruded from the gap between the gear 2211 of the driving feed wheel 221 and the gear 2211 of the driven feed wheel 222.

[0073] The hot end assembly 23 is a conventional accessory for fused deposition modeling (FDM) printers, and its functional structure will not be described in detail here. Typically, the hot end assembly 23 includes a nozzle 231, a throat 232, a heating block 233, a heat sink 234, and a first cooling fan 235. After being extruded from the extrusion mechanism 22, the filament 3 enters the throat 232, where it is melted by the heating block 233 and extruded from the nozzle 231, where it is accumulated layer by layer on the printing platform of the 3D printer (not shown). The heat sink 234 and the first cooling fan 235 are used to promptly remove heat transferred from the heating block 233 to the upper part of the throat 232.

[0074] In order to achieve quick plug-in and positioning of the male connector 21 and the female connector 12 , the nozzle assembly is further provided with a first positioning mechanism, which includes a first positioning portion 253 and a first matching portion 131 .

[0075] The first positioning portion 253 is provided on the nozzle body 2, specifically on the outside of the rear cover 25. In this embodiment, the inside of the rear cover 25 refers to the side relatively close to the front cover 24, and the outside of the rear cover 25 refers to the side relatively far away from the front cover 24. The first matching portion 131 is provided on the side of the nozzle base housing 13 close to the rear cover 25. The shape of the first positioning portion 253 is not limited, and in principle, it can be any shape that is complementary to the first matching portion 131. Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, a docking hole 132 is provided on one side of the nozzle housing 13 near the rear cover 25. This docking hole 132 is used to allow the male connector 21 of the nozzle assembly to pass through the housing 13 and dock with the female connector 12 located within the housing 13. Four first mating portions 131 are evenly distributed around the circumference of the docking hole 132. The first mating portions 131 protrude outward, and their width gradually decreases as they protrude. This design facilitates quick alignment with the first positioning portion 253. Furthermore, to facilitate quick alignment with the first positioning portion 253, the first mating portion 131 has a first positioning bevel 1311, a second positioning bevel 1312, and a top surface 1313. The first positioning bevel 1311 is arranged at an angle of 20 to 80 degrees with the nozzle housing 13, while the second positioning bevel 1312 is arranged at an angle of 20 to 80 degrees with the nozzle housing 13. The top surface 1313 connects the first and second positioning bevels 1311 and 1312. The number, shape and position of the first positioning portion 253 match the first matching portion 131, forming an inwardly concave groove structure. The two sets of inclined surfaces can accurately ensure the combination and separation of the nozzle holder 1 and the nozzle body 2.

[0076] It is understandable that the shape of the first matching portion 131 is not limited to the Figure 4The first matching part 131 can be a concave structure, and the first positioning part 253 is a convex structure. The number of the first matching part 131 is not limited, and is preferably two or more. The first matching part 131 can be unevenly distributed around the docking hole 132, and the first positioning part 253 can be distributed in accordance therewith.

[0077] On the basis of the first positioning structure, the nozzle seat 1 and the nozzle body 2 are accurately positioned and aligned, and the male head 21 and the female head 12 can be inserted and docked. However, the connection between the nozzle seat 1 and the nozzle body 2 is still unreliable. When applied to an overall 3D printing system, the nozzle body 2 needs to overcome the positioning effect (such as magnetic attraction) between the nozzle body 2 and the 3D printer base 5 without being separated, and a first locking mechanism is also needed. The first locking mechanism includes a lock catch 15, a positioning wheel 27, and a power mechanism for driving the lock catch 15 to move. In the present embodiment, the power mechanism is a rudder 18, the lock catch 15 is connected to the rudder 18, and the rudder 18 can drive the lock catch 15 to move between an unlocked position and a locked position. In order to save electrical components and enable a 3D printer with multiple nozzle bodies 2 to share a set of driving mechanisms 1, the rudder 18 and the lock catch 15 are arranged in the shell 13 of the nozzle seat 1, and the positioning wheel 27 is arranged in the nozzle body 2. In order to detect the position of the lock catch 15, a detection mechanism can be arranged in the nozzle seat 1, such as a magnet arranged on the lock catch 15 and a Hall sensor 52 arranged near the lock catch 15. When the lock catch 15 is in the unlocked position / locked position, the Hall sensor 52 detects the signal of the magnet, thereby detecting the position of the lock catch 15. In addition, in order to detect whether the nozzle seat 1 has grasped the nozzle body 2, a photoelectric sensor can also be arranged on the nozzle seat 1. The PCB circuit board 16 integrating the photoelectric sensor and the Hall sensor is exemplarily shown in the figure.

[0078] The positioning wheel 27 is located at the center of the first positioning part 253 of the rear cover 25, and the positioning wheel 27 protrudes outward from the rear cover 25. The diameter of the positioning wheel 27 is adapted to the docking hole 132, and the positioning wheel 27 is at least partially located in the nozzle seat shell 13 when the male head 21 and the female head 12 are docked. The positioning wheel 27 has a locking groove 271 in the circumferential direction thereof. When the male head 21 and the female head 12 are docked, the locking groove 271 is located in the nozzle seat shell 13, the rudder 18 drives the lock catch 15 to swing upward from the unlocked position to the locked position, and the lock catch 15 is clamped with the locking groove 271 at this time. When the male head 21 and the female head 12 need to be separated, the rudder 18 drives the lock catch 15 to move downward from the locked position to the unlocked position, and the lock catch 15 is unclamped with the locking groove 271.

[0079] As Figure 7 and Figure 9As shown, the nozzle body 2 further comprises a second elastic member 281, a steel ball 282, and a sleeve 283. The sleeve 283 is arranged on the side of the rear cover 25 close to the front cover 24, the second elastic member 281 is located in the sleeve 283, and the steel ball 282 is located between the second elastic member 281 and the transmission shaft 26. The second elastic member 281 and the steel ball 282 make the transmission shaft 26 have a certain elastic extension. If the first docking angle is problematic when the female head 12 is docked, the transmission shaft 26 can be compressed and retracted to adjust the docking position, provide a buffer space, and improve the docking success rate and docking speed. In addition, the nozzle body 2 further comprises a first bearing 291 and a second bearing 292. The first bearing 291 and the second bearing 292 are respectively sleeved on both ends of the driving wire feeding wheel 221, and play a supporting role.

[0080] In addition, as Figure 10 As shown, the nozzle seat 1 can also be provided with a second cooling fan 17. The second cooling fan 17 is arranged below the PCB circuit board 112 and is used for cooling the PCB circuit board 112. The base 14 is also provided with a support 141. The support 141 extends outward from the base 14. After the nozzle body 2 is docked with the nozzle seat 1, the support 141 contacts the lower end of the nozzle body 2 and plays a supporting role. The supports 141 have an opening 142 therebetween, which allows the hot end assembly 23 to pass through and does not affect the normal printing work of the hot end assembly 23.

[0081] The above-mentioned nozzle assembly capable of rapid docking realizes the separation of electrical elements and the nozzle body 2 by arranging the driving motor 111 and its PCB circuit board 112, the power mechanism steering wheel 18 in the first locking mechanism, the detection mechanism and its PCB circuit board 16, etc. in the nozzle seat 1. This makes the multi-nozzle printing system be able to share a set of electrical elements, without the need to separately arrange the driving mechanism 11 of the corresponding extrusion mechanism 22 in each nozzle body 2, thereby saving costs and reducing the space and weight occupied by each nozzle body 2. When a nozzle of a certain color / material is needed, the nozzle seat 1 only needs to be moved in front of the corresponding nozzle body and docked to grab the nozzle of the color / material for printing, thereby improving the printing efficiency.

[0082] In addition, when the nozzle seat 1 is docked with the nozzle body 2, only mechanical structure docking is involved, and electrical docking is not involved, which can prolong the service life of the electrical elements to a certain extent.

[0083] On the other hand, when the nozzle body 2 is clogged, for hot end assembly 23 without quick-release function, it is usually necessary to remove the entire nozzle assembly from the motion mechanism 4 and then remove the hot end assembly 23 for replacement, which is inconvenient to remove and reinstall. However, in this embodiment, when clogged, the nozzle body 2 can be removed first, and then the hot end assembly 23 can be removed and replaced, which facilitates maintenance. For users with poor manual skills, the old nozzle body 2 can be removed and directly replaced with a new one, which reduces the difficulty of maintenance for users.

[0084] See also Figure 13 , is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the aforementioned quick-dockable nozzle assembly applied to a multi-nozzle switching 3D printer 100. The multi-nozzle switching 3D printer 100 of this embodiment includes a motion mechanism 4, a nozzle holder 1, and multiple nozzle bodies 2. 3D printers typically require motion mechanisms for the X, Y, and Z axes. For example, in a 3D printer where the printing platform (not shown) performs Z-axis lifting, the nozzle holder 1 requires movement in both the X and Y directions. The 3D printer 100 includes a rectangular base 5. The Y-axis motion mechanism is provided on two parallel sides of the base 5 in the form of linear guides 41. An X-axis beam 42 is slidably connected to the linear guide 41 via sliders 43 at both ends. An X-axis slider 44 is fixed above the housing 13 of the nozzle holder 1. The X-axis slider 44 is slidably connected to the X-axis beam 42. The motion mechanism 4 (the motor for driving the motion mechanism 4 is not shown) can drive the nozzle holder 1 to move along the X and Y axes.

[0085] like Figure 14 As shown, a plurality of nozzle fixing positions 51 are provided on the side of the base 5 opposite to the first matching portion 131 of the nozzle holder 1, and each nozzle fixing position 51 is provided with a second positioning structure. A plurality of replaceable nozzle bodies 2 are suspended on the base 5 through the second positioning structure. The plurality of nozzle bodies 2 have the same structure, but the extruded filaments may be different, such as different colors or different materials. The second positioning structure includes a first positioning pin 511, a second positioning pin 512 and a first magnet 513, correspondingly, as shown in FIG. Figure 9 and Figure 12As shown, the front cover 24 of the nozzle body 2 is provided with corresponding first positioning hole 241, second positioning hole 242 and second magnet 243 arranged on the inner side of the front cover 24. Here, the inner side of the front cover 24 refers to the side close to the rear cover 25. The first positioning hole 241 of the nozzle body 2 cooperates with the first positioning pin 511, the second positioning hole 242 cooperates with the second positioning pin 512, and the first magnet 513 and the second magnet 243 are attracted, thereby fixing the nozzle body 2 on the base 5. In order to detect whether the nozzle body 2 is suspended at the current position, a Hall sensor 52 can be arranged at the position, and a third magnet 244 is arranged inside the corresponding nozzle body 2. When the nozzle body 2 is suspended on the nozzle fixing position 51, the magnetic field of the third magnet 244 can be detected by the Hall sensor 52. The third magnet 244 is only used for detection, and its volume can be small. The first magnet 513 and the second magnet 243 are used to provide magnetic attraction force, and magnets with large magnetic force are needed, and the magnetic poles of the first magnet 513 and the second magnet 243 are opposite.

[0086] It can be understood that in order to increase the printing speed, the number of nozzle bases 1 can also be 2 or more, and two or more nozzles print on the same printing platform.

[0087] Based on the structure of the above-mentioned multi-nozzle switching 3D printer 100, the embodiment provides a multi-nozzle switching nozzle grabbing and docking method. A plurality of nozzle bodies 2 are suspended on respective nozzle fixing positions 51, comprising the following steps:

[0088] When the control system of the 3D printer 100 issues a printing instruction and a certain nozzle body 2 needs to work, the nozzle base 1 is controlled by the movement mechanism 4 to move to the front of the pre-grabbed nozzle body 2, and the first matching part 131 of the nozzle base 1 cooperates with the first positioning part 253 of the nozzle body 2 to position, the female head 12 of the nozzle base 1 is inserted with the male head 21 of the nozzle body 2, and the control rudder 18 is driven to move to the locking position and the positioning wheel 27 is clamped by driving the lock buckle 15;

[0089] After the photoelectric sensor detects that the nozzle base 1 grabs the corresponding nozzle body 2, the nozzle base 1 is controlled to move away from the nozzle fixing position 51, overcoming the attraction force between the first magnet 513 of the nozzle fixing position 51 and the second magnet 243 of the nozzle body 2, and completing the grabbing of the nozzle. The nozzle performs a printing task.

[0090] The embodiment also provides a multi-nozzle switching nozzle separation method, comprising the following steps:

[0091] The control system of the 3D printer 100 issues a printing instruction, and when it is required to end the printing task of the current nozzle main body 2, the nozzle seat 1 is controlled by the movement mechanism 4 to move to the original nozzle fixing position 51, the first positioning pin 511 is inserted into the first positioning hole 241 of the nozzle main body 2, and the second positioning pin 512 is inserted into the second positioning hole 242 of the nozzle main body 2;

[0092] The control system controls the steering engine 18 to drive the lock catch 15 to move to the unlocking position and release the clamping with the positioning wheel 27;

[0093] The first magnet 513 of the nozzle fixing position 51 is attracted to the second magnet 243 of the nozzle main body 2, the nozzle seat 1 is controlled to move away from the nozzle main body 2, and the separation of the nozzle main body 2 and the nozzle seat 1 is realized.

[0094] The above-mentioned 3D printer is suitable for multi-color / multi-material printing, the filaments of the various nozzle main bodies 2 can be different in color / material, when a nozzle of a certain color / material is required, the nozzle seat 1 only needs to be moved in front of the corresponding nozzle main body 2 and docked to grasp the nozzle of the color / material to perform printing, and when switching is required, the original nozzle main body 2 is placed back to the original position, and a new nozzle main body 2 is grasped to realize color / material switching, the grasping and placing method is simple, the docking speed is fast and reliable. Compared with a single-nozzle multi-filament system, the process of spitting out the filament (the original filament needs to be spit out and a new filament needs to be entered) is eliminated, and the printing speed is greatly improved.

[0095] Compared with each nozzle main body 2 independently having electrical elements, the above-mentioned nozzle grasping and docking method only needs to perform mechanical structure docking and does not need to perform electrical docking, so the docking speed is faster.

[0096] Second embodiment

[0097] In this embodiment, the first locking mechanism can also be replaced by a second locking mechanism.

[0098] As shown in Figures 15 to 19 , the second locking mechanism 6 includes a locking connector 61, a locking ring 62, a locking structure, and a driving member 63, the locking connector 61 is arranged on the nozzle main body 2, the locking connector 61 has a locking boss 611, the driving member 63 and the locking ring 62 are arranged on the nozzle seat 1, the locking structure is arranged in the locking ring 62, the driving member 63 can drive the locking ring 62 to rotate to make the locking ring 62 have a locking position (as shown in Figure 18 ) and an unlocking position (as shown in Figure 19 ), when the locking ring 62 is in the unlocking position, the locking boss 611 can pass through the locking ring 62, and when the locking ring 62 is in the locking position, the locking structure can be clamped into the space between the locking boss 611 and the nozzle main body 2 and abut against the locking boss 611 to lock the nozzle main body 2 and the nozzle seat 1.

[0099] In this nozzle assembly, the nozzle body 2 and the nozzle seat 1 are docked through the second locking mechanism 6, and are convenient for quick disassembly and assembly. When the driving member 63 drives the locking ring 62 to the unlocked position, the nozzle body 2 is docked with the nozzle seat 1, so that the locking boss 611 of the locking connector 61 passes through the locking ring 62, and then the driving member 63 is used to drive the locking ring 62 to rotate to the locking position. At this time, the locking structure set in the locking ring 62 can be inserted between the locking boss 611 and the nozzle body 2 and abut the locking boss 611 to lock the nozzle body 2 and the nozzle seat 1. When the nozzle body 2 needs to be replaced, the driving member 63 drives the locking ring 62 to rotate from the locked position to the unlocked position, so that the locking boss 611 exits the locking ring 62, and the nozzle body 2 and the nozzle seat 1 are separated.

[0100] The quick-dockable nozzle assembly achieves locking between the nozzle body 2 and the nozzle seat 1 by rotating the locking ring 62. There is no wear during the process, and the accuracy of use will not be affected, thereby ensuring the quality of the printed product.

[0101] In this embodiment, the second locking mechanism 6 further includes a fixed housing 64, which is detachably disposed within the nozzle holder 1. The locking ring 62 is rotatably disposed within the fixed housing 64. The locking ring 62 and the fixed housing 64 are slidably connected via a sliding bearing 67 to reduce friction between the locking ring 62 and the fixed housing 64. The driving member 63 further includes a reduction motor 632, which is fixedly disposed within the fixed housing 64, and whose output shaft is coaxially fixedly connected to the driving gear 631. The fixed housing 64 enables the various structures of the second locking mechanism 6 to form a module, facilitating maintenance and replacement while reducing costs.

[0102] In order to ensure that the locking ring 62 does not fall out of the fixed shell 64 , the fixed shell 64 is further provided with a retaining ring 66 . The retaining ring 66 slides against the side of the locking ring 62 facing the nozzle body 2 to ensure the integrity of the second locking mechanism 6 .

[0103] like Figures 16 to 21 As shown, the locking structure includes a locking plate 651 arranged on the inner wall of the locking ring 62. Along the docking direction of the nozzle body 2 and the nozzle seat 1, when the locking ring 62 is in the unlocking position, the locking plate 651 and the locking boss 611 are staggered. At this time, when the nozzle seat 1 is docked with the nozzle body 2, the locking joint 61 can pass through the locking ring 62, and the locking plate 651 will not block the locking boss 611; when the locking ring 62 is in the locking position, the locking plate 651 and the locking boss 611 partially overlap. If the locking joint 61 passes through the locking ring 62, the locking plate 651 can block the locking boss 611. At this time, the locking joint 61 cannot exit the locking ring 62, thereby realizing the locking between the nozzle seat 1 and the nozzle body 2.

[0104] Further, the locking structure includes two locking plates 651 which are centrally symmetric relative to the axis of the locking ring 62, and the locking joint 61 has two locking bosses 611 corresponding to the two locking plates 651. Through the cooperation between the two locking plates 651 and the two locking bosses 611, the locking force can be evenly distributed on the basis of locking the nozzle seat 1 and the nozzle body 2, so that the nozzle body 2 will not be offset, and the printing accuracy is ensured.

[0105] It can be understood that, in order to ensure that the nozzle body 2 can remain stable after being locked on the nozzle seat 1, there should be no gap between the locking plate 651 and the locking boss 611 when the locking ring 62 is in the locked position, and abutment is required, but this can easily cause the locking plate 651 to be difficult to be clamped between the locking boss 611 and the nozzle body 2 through the rotation of the locking ring 62. As shown in Figure 20 and Figure 21 To solve the above problem, the side of the locking plate 651 away from the nozzle body 2 is provided with a first locking inclined surface 652, which is inclined towards the nozzle body 2 along the rotation direction of the locking ring 62 from the unlocked position to the locked position.

[0106] That is, when the locking ring 62 starts to rotate from the unlocked position to the locked position, there is a gap between the first locking inclined surface 652 and the locking boss 611, which facilitates the clamping of the first locking inclined surface 652 between the locking boss 611 and the nozzle body 2. With the rotation of the locking ring 62, the first locking inclined surface 652 gradually abuts against the locking boss 611, thereby locking the nozzle seat 1 and the nozzle body 2.

[0107] It can be understood that the output shaft of the driving motor 111 has a high rotation speed, which can easily cause the extrusion mechanism 22 to have a high extrusion rate of the consumables, thereby affecting the printing effect. As shown in Figure 22 To solve the above problem, the nozzle seat 1 further includes a planetary gear set 7, and the output shaft of the driving motor 111 is in transmission connection with the female head 12 through the planetary gear set 7. The planetary gear set 7 can function as a speed reducer to reduce the high rotation speed of the output shaft of the driving motor 111 to a low rotation speed of the female head 12, thereby ensuring the stable operation of the extrusion mechanism 22.

[0108] Specifically, the planetary gear set 7 includes an outer gear ring 71, an output gear 72 and a planet carrier 73, the outer gear ring 71 is fixedly arranged on the nozzle seat 1, the output gear 72 is rotatably arranged in the outer gear ring 71 and connected with the output shaft of the driving motor 111, the planet carrier 73 is rotatably arranged in the outer gear ring 71 and connected with the female head 12, and a planet gear 74 is rotatably arranged on the planet carrier 73 and engaged with the output gear 72 and the outer gear ring 71.

[0109] Outer ring gear 71 remains stationary. When the output shaft of drive motor 111 rotates, output gear 72 drives planetary gears 74, which in turn drive planetary carrier 73 via outer ring gear 71. Planetary carrier 73 is the power output structure. Because multiple planetary gears 74 in planetary gear set 7 simultaneously mesh with output gear 72, load distribution is even, reducing wear on individual gears and extending their life.

[0110] Furthermore, an elastic mechanism 8 is provided between the female connector 12 and the planetary gear set 7 to provide a certain elastic force. This elastic mechanism 8 comprises a spring 81 and a spring base 82. The end of the planetary carrier 73, away from the planetary gears 74, is hollow and equipped with a ring of retaining protrusions 731. These protrusions 731 project toward the axis of the planetary carrier 73. The spring base 82 comprises a retaining portion 821 and a cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion comprises a large-diameter portion 822 and a small-diameter portion 823. The retaining portion 821 is connected to the large-diameter portion 822, which in turn is connected to the small-diameter portion 823. The spring base 82 is mounted within the planetary carrier 73. Specifically, the cylindrical portion passes through the retaining protrusions 731, which retain the retaining portion 821 relative to the end of the female connector 12. One end of the female connector 12 is located within the planetary carrier 73 and fits over the outer circumference of the small-diameter portion 823. The other end of the female connector 12 is located outside the planetary carrier 73. The spring 81 is sleeved on the outer circumference of the large diameter portion 822 , and one end of the spring 81 abuts against one end of the limiting protrusion 731 relatively close to the female head 12 , and the other end abuts against the female head 12 .

[0111] When the female connector 12 and the male connector 21 are docked, the spring 81 provides a certain degree of elasticity. If the initial docking angle is not correct during docking with the male connector 21, the spring 81 can be compressed and retracted to readjust the docking position, providing a buffer space, thereby improving the docking success rate and docking speed. In addition, placing the spring 81 at the female connector 12 instead of at the male connector 21 end with the extrusion mechanism 22 can solve the problem that when the spring 81 is placed at the male connector 21 end, the spring 81 has limited elastic space and poor buffering effect when consumables are inside the extrusion mechanism 22.

[0112] like Figures 18 to 21 As shown, the locking ring 62 includes a driving tooth segment 622, and the driving member 63 includes a driving gear 631. The driving tooth segment 622 is meshed with the driving gear 631. The driving gear 631 is driven to rotate by a reduction motor 632, thereby driving the locking ring 62 to rotate.

[0113] Furthermore, the fixed shell 64 is provided with a limiting notch, the locking ring 62 is provided with a limiting protrusion, the driving tooth segment 622 is provided on the limiting protrusion, the limiting protrusion is engaged with the driving gear 631 through the limiting notch, and the limiting notch can limit the rotation angle of the locking ring 62. When the limiting protrusion abuts against one side of the limiting notch, the locking ring 62 is in an unlocked position, and when the limiting protrusion abuts against the other side of the limiting notch, the locking ring 62 is in a locked position.

[0114] In order to simplify the structure, the driving tooth segment 622 can be arranged on the limiting protrusion. Since the limiting protrusion can extend out of the fixing shell 64, it is convenient to contact and engage with the driving gear 631.

[0115] In order to detect the position of the locking ring 62, a detection mechanism can be arranged in the nozzle seat 1. For example, a magnet is arranged on the limiting protrusion, and a Hall sensor 52 is arranged near the locking ring 62. When the locking ring 62 is in the locked position / unlocked position, the Hall sensor 52 detects the signal of the magnet, thereby detecting the position of the locking ring 62. In addition, in order to detect whether the nozzle seat 1 has grasped the nozzle body 2, a photoelectric sensor can also be arranged on the nozzle seat 1.

[0116] Third embodiment

[0117] This embodiment changes the structure of the second locking mechanism 6 on the basis of the second embodiment.

[0118] As shown in Figures 23 to 26 In this embodiment, the second locking mechanism 6 further includes an annular locking frame 641, the annular locking frame 641 is provided with a sliding groove 6411 in the circumferential direction, and the sliding groove 6411 penetrates to the inner wall of the annular locking frame 641 to form a locking hole 6412. The locking structure includes a locking piece 68 arranged in the sliding groove 6411. The locking ring 62 surrounds the outer periphery of the annular locking frame 641. When the locking ring 62 is in the unlocked position, the locking piece 68 is located in the sliding groove 6411. At this time, the nozzle seat 1 is butted with the nozzle body 2, the locking connector 61 can pass through the locking ring 62, and the locking piece 68 cannot block the locking boss 611. When the locking ring 62 is in the locked position, if the locking connector 61 passes through the locking ring 62, the locking ring 62 makes the locking piece 68 partially protrude out of the locking hole 6412 to be clamped between the locking boss 611 and the nozzle body 2, so that the locking piece 68 can block the locking boss 611. At this time, the locking connector 61 cannot exit the locking ring 62, thereby realizing the locking between the nozzle seat 1 and the nozzle body 2.

[0119] As shown in Figure 26 The inner wall of the locking ring 62 is provided with an abutting portion 621. When the locking ring 62 rotates from the unlocked position to the locked position, the size of the abutting portion 621 protruding to the center of the locking ring 62 gradually increases at the position of the locking piece 68. With the rotation of the locking ring 62 from the unlocked position to the locked position, the abutting portion 621 gradually presses the locking piece 68 out of the locking hole 6412. The side of the abutting portion 621 abutting the locking piece 68 is a continuous plane or an arc surface, which can avoid the situation that the abutting portion 621 and the locking piece 68 are stuck.

[0120] In the embodiment, the annular locking frame 641 is provided with a plurality of sliding grooves 6411 which are circumferentially spaced, and each of the sliding grooves 6411 is provided with a locking piece 68. That is, when the locking ring 62 is rotated to the locking position, the plurality of locking pieces 68 can be clamped between the locking boss 611 and the nozzle body 2 from a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction. Through the cooperation between the plurality of locking pieces 68 and the corresponding locking boss 611, the locking force can be evenly distributed on the basis of locking the nozzle seat 1 and the nozzle body 2, so that the nozzle body 2 will not be offset, and the printing precision is ensured. It should be noted that the abutting portion 621 in the locking ring 62 corresponds to the sliding groove 6411 and the locking piece 68 one by one.

[0121] In the embodiment, the locking boss 611 is an annular structure which circumferentially surrounds the locking joint 61 and connects the head and the tail. No matter what angle the locking joint 61 is connected to the nozzle body, this structure can ensure that the locking joint 61 is clamped and locked by the plurality of locking pieces 68 when the nozzle body is connected to the nozzle seat 1.

[0122] It can be understood that when the nozzle body is not connected to the nozzle seat 1, the locking piece 68 cannot slide out of the locking hole 6412. As shown in FIG. 6, in order to achieve the above purpose, a limiting edge 6413 is arranged at the locking hole 6412, and the limiting edge 6413 can abut against the locking piece 68 to prevent the locking piece 68 from being separated from the sliding groove 6411 through the locking hole 6412. Figure 25

[0123] Further, the locking piece 68 is a steel ball 282. The steel ball 282 is used to lock the locking joint 61, so that the contact surface between the steel ball 282 and the locking boss 611 is an arc surface. As the size of the steel ball 282 extending out of the locking hole 6412 increases, the steel ball 282 can achieve the effect of tensioning the locking boss 611, thereby improving the abutting force between the nozzle body 2 and the nozzle seat 1 and improving the stability of the nozzle body 2 relative to the nozzle seat 1. The diameter of the locking hole 6412 is smaller than the diameter of the steel ball 282, which effectively prevents the steel ball 282 from sliding out of the sliding groove 6411.

[0124] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present application, and the protection scope of the present application is limited by the scope defined by the claims. The improvements and refinements made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application should also be considered as the protection scope of the present application.​

Claims

1. A multi-nozzle switching 3D printer, comprising a motion mechanism and a nozzle assembly, the nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle seat and a nozzle body, the base of the 3D printer being provided with a plurality of replaceable nozzle bodies, the motion mechanism being connected with the nozzle seat, the nozzle seat having a driving mechanism and a female head, the female head being in transmission connection with the driving mechanism; the nozzle body having a male head and an extrusion mechanism, the male head being in transmission connection with the extrusion mechanism; the female head being capable of being inserted into the male head to make the female head in transmission connection with the male head, realize the butt joint of the nozzle seat and the nozzle body, and make the nozzle body leave the base; or the female head being capable of being separated from the male head to make the female head break the transmission connection with the male head, realize the separation of the nozzle seat and the nozzle body, and make the nozzle body return to the base. 2.The multi-nozzle switching 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: the nozzle assembly comprises a locking mechanism, one part of the locking mechanism being arranged on the nozzle seat, the other part of the locking mechanism being arranged on the nozzle body, the locking mechanism having a locking position and an unlocking position; when the female head is inserted into the male head, the locking mechanism is in the locking position; when the locking mechanism is in the unlocking position, the female head can be separated from the male head. 3.The multi-nozzle switching 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: the nozzle body comprises a front cover, a rear cover and a transmission shaft, the front cover and the rear cover being buckled to form a containing space, the male head being arranged on one end of the transmission shaft; the male head protruding from the rear cover, the male head being at least partially located in the nozzle seat when the male head is inserted into the female head, or the female head protruding from the shell of the nozzle seat, the female head being at least partially located in the nozzle body when the female head is inserted into the male head; the nozzle assembly comprising a first positioning structure, the first positioning structure comprising a first positioning part and a first matching part, the first positioning part being located on the side of the rear cover close to the nozzle seat, the first matching part being located on the side of the nozzle seat close to the nozzle body, the first positioning part and the first matching part being complementarily matched and positioned.

4. The multi-jet switched 3D printer of claim 3, wherein: the side of the base opposite to the first matching part being provided with a plurality of nozzle fixing positions, the nozzle fixing position being provided with a first positioning pin, a second positioning pin and a first magnet, the front cover of the nozzle body being provided with a corresponding first positioning hole, a second positioning hole and a second magnet arranged on the inner side of the front cover, the first positioning hole being matched with the first positioning pin, the second positioning hole being matched with the second positioning pin, and the first magnet being attracted to the second magnet, so as to fix the nozzle body on the base.

5. The multi-jet switched 3D printer of claim 1, wherein: The spray head assembly comprises a first locking mechanism, the first locking mechanism comprises a locking catch, a locking slot and a power mechanism for driving the locking catch, the power mechanism and the locking catch are located in the spray head base, the locking slot is located in the spray head body, the locking catch can be moved to an unlocked position and a locked position under the driving of the power mechanism, the locking catch is clamped with the locking slot in the locked position, and the locking catch is separated from the locking slot in the unlocked position.

6. The multi-nozzle switching 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spray head assembly comprises a second locking mechanism, the second locking mechanism comprises a locking joint, a locking ring, a locking structure and a driving member, the locking joint is arranged on the spray head body, the locking joint has a locking boss, the driving member and the locking ring are arranged on the spray head base, the locking structure is arranged in the locking ring, the driving member can drive the locking ring to rotate to make the locking ring have a locking position and an unlocking position, when the locking ring is in the unlocking position, the locking boss can pass through the locking ring, when the locking ring is in the locking position, the locking structure can be clamped between the locking boss and the spray head body and abut against the locking boss to lock the spray head body and the spray head base.

7. The multi-jet switched 3D printer of claim 6, wherein, The locking structure comprises a locking plate arranged on the inner wall of the locking ring, along the abutting direction of the spray head body and the spray head base, the locking plate is staggered with the locking boss when the locking ring is in the unlocking position, and the locking plate is overlapped with the locking boss when the locking ring is in the locking position.

8. The multi-jet switched 3D printer of claim 7, wherein, The side of the locking plate away from the spray head body is provided with a first locking inclined surface, along the rotating direction of the locking ring from the unlocking position to the locking position, the first locking inclined surface is inclined to the direction close to the spray head body.

9. The multi-jet switched 3D printer of claim 7, wherein, The locking structure comprises two locking plates which are centrally symmetric relative to the axis of the locking ring, and the locking joint has two locking bosses corresponding to the two locking plates.

10. The multi-jet switched 3D printer of claim 6, wherein, The second locking mechanism further comprises an annular locking frame, the annular locking frame is provided with a sliding groove in the circumferential direction, and the sliding groove penetrates the inner wall of the annular locking frame to form a locking hole, the locking structure comprises a locking member arranged in the sliding groove, the locking ring is circumferentially arranged on the outer periphery of the annular locking frame, the locking member is located in the sliding groove when the locking ring is in the unlocking position, and the locking ring makes the locking member partially protrude out of the locking hole to be clamped between the locking boss and the spray head body when the locking ring is in the locking position.

11. The multi-jet switched 3D printer of claim 10, wherein, The inner wall of the locking ring is provided with an abutting portion, when the locking ring rotates from the unlocking position to the locking position, the size of the abutting portion protruding to the center of the locking ring gradually increases at the position of the locking member.

12. The multi-jet switched 3D printer of claim 10, wherein, The annular locking frame is provided with a plurality of sliding grooves in the circumferential direction, and each sliding groove is provided with a locking member; and / or The locking boss is an annular structure which circumferentially surrounds the locking joint and is connected at the head and tail.

13. The multi-jet switched 3D printer of claim 10, wherein, A limiting portion is arranged at the locking hole, and the limiting portion can abut against the locking member to avoid the locking member from being separated from the sliding groove through the locking hole.

14. The multi-jet switched 3D printer of claim 3, wherein: The side of the shell close to the back cover is provided with a butt joint hole, and a plurality of first matching parts are distributed around the butt joint hole in a circumferential direction. The first matching parts are outwardly convex or inwardly concave, and the width of the first matching parts gradually decreases along the convex direction or the concave direction of the first matching parts. The number and shape of the first positioning parts are matched with the first matching parts, and the first positioning parts are inwardly concave or outwardly convex. The first matching part has a first positioning slope and a second positioning slope. The first positioning slope is arranged at an angle of 20-80° with the shell, and the second positioning slope is arranged at an angle of 20-80° with the shell.

15. The multi-nozzle switching 3D printer according to claim 5, characterized in that: The nozzle seat is further provided with a detection mechanism and a PCB circuit board thereof, the detection mechanism being used for monitoring the position of the lock and monitoring whether the nozzle seat is successfully butted with the nozzle body; and the nozzle fixing position is provided with a detection device used for detecting whether the nozzle body is located at the nozzle fixing position.

16. A nozzle grabbing and butting method for a multi-nozzle switching 3D printer, applied to the multi-nozzle switching 3D printer according to any one of claims 1-15, and comprising the following steps: The nozzle seat is controlled to move to the front of the pre-grabbed nozzle body by a movement mechanism, the first matching part of the nozzle seat is matched with the first positioning part of the nozzle body to position, and the female head of the nozzle seat is inserted with the male head of the nozzle body; The locking mechanism of the nozzle seat is controlled to be locked with the nozzle body; After detecting that the nozzle seat grabs the corresponding nozzle body, the nozzle seat is controlled to move away from the nozzle fixing position, the positioning between the nozzle fixing position and the nozzle body is released, and the grabbing of the nozzle is completed.

17. A nozzle separating method for a multi-nozzle switching 3D printer, applied to the multi-nozzle switching 3D printer according to any one of claims 1-15, and comprising the following steps: The nozzle seat is controlled to move to the original nozzle fixing position by a movement mechanism, the first positioning pin is inserted into the first positioning hole of the nozzle body, and the second positioning pin is inserted into the second positioning hole of the nozzle body; The locking mechanism of the nozzle seat is controlled to be unlocked with the nozzle body; The first magnet of the nozzle fixing position is attracted to the second magnet of the nozzle body, the nozzle seat is controlled to move away from the nozzle body, and the separation of the nozzle body and the nozzle seat is realized.

18. A control method for a multi-nozzle switching 3D printer, applied to the multi-nozzle switching 3D printer according to any one of claims 1-15, and comprising the following steps: When the control system of the 3D printer issues a printing instruction and a certain nozzle body needs to work, the nozzle seat is controlled to move to the front of the pre-grabbed nozzle body by a movement mechanism, the first matching part of the nozzle seat is matched with the first positioning part of the nozzle body to position, the female head of the nozzle seat is inserted with the male head of the nozzle body, and the locking mechanism of the nozzle seat is controlled to be locked with the nozzle body; After detecting that the nozzle seat grabs the corresponding nozzle body, the nozzle seat is controlled to move away from the nozzle fixing position, the positioning between the nozzle fixing position and the nozzle body is released, the grabbing of the nozzle is completed, and the printing task is executed. When it is needed to end the printing task of the current nozzle body, the nozzle seat is controlled to move to the original nozzle fixing position by the movement mechanism, the first positioning pin is inserted into the first positioning hole of the nozzle body, and the second positioning pin is inserted into the second positioning hole of the nozzle body; The locking mechanism of the nozzle seat is controlled to be unlocked with the nozzle body; The first magnet of the nozzle fixing position is attracted to the second magnet of the nozzle body, the nozzle seat is controlled to move away from the nozzle body, and separation of the nozzle body and the nozzle seat is realized.

Citation Information

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