Printing head of direct-writing type 3D printer and direct-writing type 3D printer

Abstract

The invention provides a printing head of a direct-writing type 3D printer and the direct-writing type 3D printer, and relates to the technical field of 3D printing. The printing head comprises a storage shell, a plurality of storage barrels, a nozzle, a spherical fixed shell, a spherical rotating shell and a driving mechanism; a plurality of vent holes are formed in the spherical fixing shell; a plurality of air outlet holes are formed in the spherical rotating shell; and the driving mechanism is used for driving the spherical rotating shell to rotate in the spherical fixed shell, so that the materials in one storage barrel are extruded out through the nozzles, or the materials in the multiple storage barrels are extruded out through the nozzles. Composite printing can be carried out on two or more materials under the condition that the printing head is not replaced, use is convenient, rapid switching of the materials in the continuous printing process is achieved, errors caused by position deviation in the process of frequently replacing the printing head in the prior art are avoided, and for preparation of intelligent composite materials, the production efficiency is greatly improved. And the method has important application prospects in diversified combination design and development and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and more specifically, to a printhead for a direct-write 3D printer and a direct-write 3D printer. Background Technology

[0002] Direct-write 3D printing is an additive manufacturing technology based on material extrusion. This technology uses a computer-controlled three-dimensional motion platform to continuously extrude ink materials with specific rheological properties through micro-nozzles, depositing them layer by layer onto the substrate surface. Post-processing steps such as solvent evaporation, photopolymerization, and thermal sintering are then used to complete the three-dimensional structure. Its core advantage lies in its ability to create customized molding of various materials, including polymers, ceramics, metals, composites, and hydrogels, without the need for molds. It can also precisely construct complex geometric structures from micro-nano to macro-scale, demonstrating broad application prospects in cutting-edge fields such as flexible electronics, intelligent sensing, biomedicine, and energy devices.

[0003] Currently, in the field of direct-write 3D printing, each print head is equipped with one type of printing material. When it is necessary to composite print two or more materials, it is necessary to frequently change the print head equipped with different materials, which is inconvenient to use. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The problem solved by this invention is that the print head needs to be replaced when printing composite materials, which is inconvenient to use.

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a printhead for a direct-write 3D printer and a direct-write 3D printer.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a printhead for a direct-write 3D printer, comprising: a material storage shell, multiple material storage cylinders, a nozzle, a spherical fixed shell, a spherical rotating shell, and a drive mechanism; the multiple material storage cylinders are disposed inside the material storage shell; the nozzle is fixed to the bottom wall of the material storage shell; the upper end of the nozzle communicates with the multiple material storage cylinders, and the lower end is located outside the material storage shell; the spherical fixed shell is fixed to the outer wall of the material storage shell; the spherical fixed shell is provided with multiple vent holes; each vent hole is connected to one of the material storage cylinders through a vent pipe; the spherical rotating shell is disposed inside the spherical fixed shell and is concentric with the spherical fixed shell; the spherical rotating shell is provided with multiple air outlet holes; the spherical... The fixed shell is provided with an external air inlet; the spherical rotating shell is provided with an internal air inlet; an air inlet pipe is provided inside the external air inlet; one end of the air inlet pipe is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the internal air inlet, and the other end is used to connect to an air supply device for supplying air to the spherical rotating shell; the driving mechanism is connected to the spherical rotating shell and is used to drive the spherical rotating shell to rotate within the spherical fixed shell about the central axis of the internal air inlet, so that one of the air outlets is aligned with one of the vent holes, thereby extruding the material in the corresponding storage cylinder through the nozzle, or aligning multiple air outlets with multiple vent holes respectively, thereby extruding the material in the corresponding multiple storage cylinders through the nozzle.

[0007] Optionally, a sealing plug is provided inside the vent hole; the sealing plug includes a mounting base, a plug head, and a spring; the mounting base is disposed inside the vent hole and seals the vent hole; the mounting base has a through hole; the plug head is located on the side of the mounting base near the spherical rotating shell, and a stopper is provided on the side of the plug head near the mounting base; one end of the spring is connected to the mounting base, and the other end is connected to the plug head; when the vent hole is not aligned with the vent hole, the outer wall of the spherical rotating shell applies a force to the plug head toward the mounting base, the spring is compressed, and the stopper is located inside the through hole to seal the through hole; when the vent hole is aligned with the vent hole, the spring extends and pushes the stopper out of the through hole to open the through hole, so that the vent hole communicates with the through hole.

[0008] Optionally, the present invention further includes a sealing ring and a plurality of sealing cylinders; the sealing ring is fitted outside the spherical rotating shell and located inside the spherical fixed shell; the sealing ring is provided with a plurality of sealing holes; the plurality of sealing holes are aligned one-to-one with the plurality of vent holes; one end of each sealing cylinder is connected to a sealing hole and the other end is connected to a vent hole; the plug is located inside the sealing cylinder.

[0009] Optionally, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the plug near the spherical rotating shell is arc-shaped; the arc is curved toward the spherical rotating shell.

[0010] Optionally, there are five vent holes and five storage cylinders; the centers of the five vent holes are located on a segment of an arc along one horizontal section of the spherical fixed shell, and the five vent holes are evenly spaced; there are nine air outlets; the nine air outlets are divided into three groups, the first group includes one first air outlet, the second group includes three adjacent second air outlets, and the third group includes five adjacent third air outlets; the air outlets of the first, second, and third groups are sequentially spaced along the circumference of one horizontal section of the spherical rotating shell; adjacent two The spacing between the vents, the spacing between two adjacent second vents, and the spacing between two adjacent third vents are all equal; the centers of the nine vents and the centers of the five vents are located on the same horizontal plane; the spacing between two adjacent groups of vents is greater than the spacing between two adjacent vents, so that one first vent can be aligned with one vent, or three second vents can be aligned with three vents, or five third vents can be aligned with five vents.

[0011] Optionally, the storage shell is provided with a first clamp and a second clamp; the first clamp has a central mounting hole and four edge mounting notches; the four edge mounting notches are arranged in a circular array with the central mounting hole as the center; each edge mounting notch is provided with a second clamp; the cross-section of the second clamp is a semi-enclosed arc shape; both ends of the second clamp are fixed to the inner wall of the storage shell; one of the storage cylinders is inserted into the central mounting hole; the other four storage cylinders are respectively inserted into the four second clamps, and a buffer is provided between the outer wall of the storage cylinder and the inner wall of the storage shell; the cross-sectional shape of the buffer is trapezoidal, the long side of the trapezoid abuts against the outer wall of the storage cylinder, and the short side abuts against the inner wall of the storage shell.

[0012] Optionally, the storage cylinder includes a cylinder body and a sealing cap; the upper end of the cylinder body is open; the inner wall of the upper end of the cylinder body is provided with an internal thread; the bottom wall of the sealing cap is connected to a connecting cylinder; the outer wall of the connecting cylinder is provided with an external thread that mates with the internal thread; the sealing cap is provided with a connecting hole; one end of the vent pipe passes through the connecting hole and the connecting cylinder and is located inside the cylinder body.

[0013] Optionally, the storage shell is provided with multiple connecting pipes and a discharge pipe; the upper end of each connecting pipe is connected to the bottom of a storage cylinder, and the lower end of each connecting pipe is connected to the upper end of the discharge pipe; the lower end of the discharge pipe is connected to the upper end of the nozzle; a one-way throttle valve is provided in the discharge pipe to prevent material from flowing back from the nozzle into the connecting pipe.

[0014] Optionally, the driving mechanism is a micro motor; the micro motor is fixed on the outer top wall of the storage shell and located below the spherical fixed shell; the bottom of the spherical fixed shell is provided with a through hole; the power output shaft of the micro motor is vertically arranged and passes through the through hole and is fixed to the bottom of the spherical rotating shell, so that the micro motor can drive the spherical rotating shell to rotate in the horizontal plane.

[0015] Secondly, the present invention provides a direct-write 3D printer, including the print head of the aforementioned direct-write 3D printer.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the print head of the direct-write 3D printer of this invention are as follows: the print head of the direct-write 3D printer can perform composite printing of two or more materials without changing the print head, which is convenient to use. At the same time, this invention enables rapid material switching during continuous printing, avoiding errors caused by positional shifts during frequent print head changes in existing technologies. This has significant application prospects for the preparation of intelligent composite materials and the development of diversified combination designs. Furthermore, the spherical fixed shell and the spherical rotating shell can be used to adjust the position of the air vents, thereby adjusting the amount of printing material. The number and position of the air vents can be designed as needed, such as aligning two air vents with two ventilation holes, or three air vents with three ventilation holes, etc., to meet different printing requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the print head of a direct-write 3D printer provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a structural schematic of the print head from another perspective; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a portion of the printhead structure shown; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first clamp and the second clamp provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sealing plug provided in an embodiment of the present invention when the vent hole and the outlet hole are aligned; Figure 6 for Figure 5The diagram shows the structure of the sealing plug when the vent hole and the outlet hole are not aligned. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air outlet and the vent hole provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Storage shell; 2. Spherical fixed shell; 3. Air inlet pipe; 4. Vent pipe; 5. Nozzle; 6. Drive mechanism; 7. Storage cylinder; 71. Sealing cover; 72. Connecting cylinder; 73. Cylinder body; 8. Vent hole; 9. Piston; 10. Connecting pipe; 11. Discharge pipe; 12. One-way throttle valve; 13. First clamp; 14. Edge mounting notch; 15. Second clamp; 16. Buffer; 17. Spherical rotating shell; 18. Sealing ring; 19. Plug; 20. Plug; 21. Spring; 22. Mounting base; 23. Through hole; 24. Sealing cylinder; 25. Air outlet; 251. First air outlet; 252. Second air outlet; 253. Third air outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although some embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the present invention. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of the present invention are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] The term "comprising" and its variations as used herein are open-ended, meaning "including but not limited to"; the term "based on" means "at least partially based on"; the term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment"; the term "some embodiments" means "at least some embodiments"; and the term "optionally" means "optional embodiments". Definitions of other terms will be given in the following description. It should be noted that the concepts of "first," "second," etc., mentioned in this invention are used only to distinguish different devices, modules, or units, and are not intended to limit the order of functions performed by these devices, modules, or units or their interdependencies.

[0021] It should be noted that the terms "a" and "a plurality of" used in this invention are illustrative rather than restrictive. Those skilled in the art should understand that, unless otherwise expressly indicated in the context, they should be understood as "one or more".

[0022] like Figures 1 to 7As shown in the figure, the print head of a direct-write 3D printer provided in this embodiment of the invention includes: a material storage shell 1, multiple material storage cylinders 7, a nozzle 5, a spherical fixed shell 2, a spherical rotating shell 17, and a drive mechanism 6; the multiple material storage cylinders 7 are disposed inside the material storage shell 1; the nozzle 5 is fixed on the bottom wall of the material storage shell 1; the upper end of the nozzle 5 communicates with the multiple material storage cylinders 7, and the lower end is located outside the material storage shell 1; the spherical fixed shell 2 is fixed on the outer wall of the material storage shell 1; the spherical fixed shell 2 is provided with multiple vent holes 8; each vent hole 8 is connected to a material storage cylinder 7 through a vent pipe 4; the spherical rotating shell 17 is disposed inside the spherical fixed shell 2 and is concentric with the spherical fixed shell 2; the spherical rotating shell 17 is provided with multiple air outlets. 25; The spherical fixed shell 2 is provided with an external air inlet; the spherical rotating shell 17 is provided with an internal air inlet; an air inlet pipe 3 is provided inside the external air inlet; one end of the air inlet pipe 3 is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the internal air inlet, and the other end is used to connect to an air supply device for supplying air to the spherical rotating shell 17; the drive mechanism 6 is connected to the spherical rotating shell 17 and is used to drive the spherical rotating shell 17 to rotate inside the spherical fixed shell 2 about the central axis of the internal air inlet as the rotation axis, so that one air outlet 25 is aligned with one air vent 8, thereby extruding the material in the corresponding storage cylinder 7 through the nozzle 5, or aligning multiple air outlets 25 with multiple air vents 8 respectively, thereby extruding the material in the corresponding multiple storage cylinders 7 through the nozzle 5.

[0023] Specifically, the air supply device supplies air to the interior of the spherical rotating shell 17 through the air inlet pipe 3. When a material needs to be printed, the drive mechanism 6 drives the spherical rotating shell 17 to rotate relative to the spherical fixed shell 2, so that one of the air outlets 25 on the spherical rotating shell 17 is aligned with one of the air vents 8 on the spherical fixed shell 2. The gas inside the spherical rotating shell 17 enters the air pipe 4 through the air outlet 25 and the air vent 8, and finally enters one of the material storage cylinders 7. The gas pushes the material in the material storage cylinder 7 into the nozzle 5 and is extruded through the nozzle 5. When multiple materials need to be printed, the drive mechanism 6 drives the spherical rotating shell 17 to rotate relative to the spherical fixed shell 2, so that multiple (two or more) air outlets 25 on the spherical rotating shell 17 are aligned with multiple (two or more) air vents 8 on the spherical fixed shell 2. The gas inside the spherical rotating shell 17 enters multiple air pipes 4 through the multiple air outlets 25 and multiple air vents 8, and finally enters multiple material storage cylinders 7. The gas pushes the material in the multiple material storage cylinders 7 into the nozzle 5 and is extruded through the nozzle 5. When the spherical rotating shell 17 rotates, the air inlet pipe remains stationary inside the outer air inlet of the spherical fixed shell 2, while the inner air inlet of the spherical rotating shell 17 rotates relative to the air inlet pipe.

[0024] The alignment of the aforementioned multiple air outlets 25 and multiple air vents 8 can be such that all the air outlets 25 are aligned with all the air vents 8, or it can be such that some of the air outlets 25 are aligned with some of the air vents 8. This invention does not limit this, as long as two or more air outlets 25 are aligned with two or more air vents 8.

[0025] The air supply device can be an existing electric air pump, air compressor, or any device that can supply air.

[0026] The direct-write 3D printer provided in this embodiment can perform composite printing of two or more materials without changing the print head, making it convenient to use. Simultaneously, this invention enables rapid material switching during continuous printing, avoiding errors caused by positional shifts during frequent print head changes in existing technologies. This has significant application prospects for the preparation of intelligent composite materials and the development of diverse combination designs. Furthermore, the spherical fixed shell 2 and the spherical rotating shell 17 work together to adjust the position of the air vents 25, thereby adjusting the amount of printing material. The number and position of the air vents 25 can be designed as needed, such as aligning two air vents 25 with two ventilation holes 8, or aligning three air vents 25 with three ventilation holes 8, etc., to meet different printing requirements.

[0027] Optionally, the central axis of the outer air intake, the central axis of the inner air intake, and the rotation axis of the spherical rotating shell 17 coincide. This arrangement ensures that the air intake pipe remains stable when the spherical rotating shell 17 rotates.

[0028] Optionally, a piston 9 is provided inside the storage cylinder 7. After the gas enters the storage cylinder 7, it pushes the piston 9 to move downward. The piston 9 pushes the material downward and finally squeezes it out from the nozzle 5.

[0029] In this optional embodiment, piston 9 can concentrate the thrust of the gas, thereby increasing the pushing force on the material.

[0030] like Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, optionally, a sealing plug is provided inside the vent hole 8; the sealing plug includes a mounting base 22, a plug head 19, and a spring 21; the mounting base 22 is disposed inside the vent hole 8 and seals the vent hole 8; the mounting base 22 is provided with a through hole 23; the plug head 19 is located on the side of the mounting base 22 near the spherical rotating shell 17, and a plug 20 is provided on the side of the plug head 19 near the mounting base 22; one end of the spring 21 is connected to the mounting base 22, and the other end is connected to the plug head 19; when the vent hole 8 is not aligned with the vent hole 25, the outer wall of the spherical rotating shell 17 applies a force to the plug head 19 toward the mounting base 22, the spring 21 is compressed, and the plug 20 is located inside the through hole 23 to seal the through hole 23; when the vent hole 8 is aligned with the vent hole 25, the spring 21 extends and pushes the plug 20 out of the through hole 23 to open the through hole 23, so that the vent hole 25 communicates with the through hole 23.

[0031] Specifically, the plug 19 in the vent 8, which is aligned with the vent 25, does not seal the through hole 23. Here, the vent 25 communicates with the through hole 23, allowing gas from the spherical rotating shell 17 to enter the through hole 23 through the vent 25, and then sequentially enter the vent pipe 4 and the storage cylinder 7. The plug 19 in the vent 8, which is not aligned with the vent 25, seals the through hole 23 on the mounting base 22 under the pressure of the outer wall of the spherical rotating shell 17.

[0032] In an optional embodiment, the through hole 23 at the vent 8 that is not aligned with the vent 25 is sealed, so that the gas ejected from the vent 25 of the spherical rotating shell 17 will not enter the through hole 23 there, ensuring that the material that does not need to be printed will not enter the nozzle 5.

[0033] Optionally, this embodiment also includes a sealing ring 18 and a plurality of sealing cylinders 24; the sealing ring 18 is fitted outside the spherical rotating shell 17 and located inside the spherical fixed shell 2; the sealing ring 18 is provided with a plurality of sealing holes; the plurality of sealing holes are aligned one by one with a plurality of vent holes 8; one end of each sealing cylinder 24 is connected to a sealing hole and the other end is connected to a vent hole 8; the plug 19 is located inside the sealing cylinder 24.

[0034] In this optional embodiment, a sealing cylinder 24 is provided between the sealing hole and the vent hole 8, so that the gas ejected from the vent hole 25 passes sequentially through the sealing hole, the inner cavity of the sealing cylinder 24, the through hole 23 on the mounting base 22, the vent pipe 4, and the storage cylinder 7. This ensures that all the gas enters the storage cylinder 7, prevents the gas from entering the inner cavity of the spherical fixed shell 2, and ensures the driving force of the gas on the material in the storage cylinder 7.

[0035] Optionally, the longitudinal section of the plug 19 near the spherical rotating shell 17 is arc-shaped; the arc bends toward the spherical rotating shell 17.

[0036] In this optional embodiment, the stopper 19 is set to be arc-shaped, and the outer wall of the spherical rotating shell 17 rotates along the arc, so that the outer wall of the spherical rotating shell 17 is smoothly pressed against the stopper 19 and smoothly rotates out from the stopper 19, ensuring the smooth rotation of the spherical rotating shell 17.

[0037] Optionally, there are multiple through holes 23 on the mounting base 22 and multiple plugs 20 on the plug head 19. The cross-section of the mounting base 22 is circular. Multiple through holes 23 are arranged sequentially at intervals along the circumference of the mounting base 22. One end of the spring 21 is connected to the center of the mounting base 22. Multiple plugs 20 are located in multiple through holes 23 respectively.

[0038] like Figure 7 As shown, optionally, there are five vent holes 8 and five storage cylinders 7; the centers of the five vent holes 8 are located on one arc of one horizontal cross-section of the spherical fixed shell 2, and the five vent holes 8 are evenly spaced; there are nine air outlet holes 25; the nine air outlet holes 25 are divided into three groups, the first group includes one first air outlet hole 251, the second group includes three adjacent second air outlet holes 252, and the third group includes five adjacent third air outlet holes 253; the air outlet holes 25 of the first group, the second group, and the third group are arranged sequentially at intervals along the circumference of one horizontal cross-section of the spherical rotating shell 17; The interval between two adjacent vent holes 8, the interval between two adjacent second vent holes 252, and the interval between two adjacent third vent holes 253 are all equal; the center of the nine vent holes 25 and the center of the five vent holes 8 are located on the same horizontal plane; the interval between two adjacent sets of vent holes 25 is greater than the distance between two adjacent vent holes 8, so that one first vent hole 251 can be aligned with one vent hole 8, or three second vent holes 252 can be aligned with three vent holes 8, or five third vent holes 253 can be aligned with five vent holes 8.

[0039] In this optional embodiment, the nine vent holes 25 are set into three groups. When the driving mechanism 6 drives the spherical rotating shell 17 to rotate, one of the three groups can be aligned with the vent hole 8 on the spherical fixed shell 2, thereby enabling printing of one material, three materials, or five materials.

[0040] like Figure 4As shown, optionally, the storage shell 1 is provided with a first clamp 13 and a second clamp 15; the first clamp 13 is provided with a central mounting hole and four edge mounting notches 14; the four edge mounting notches 14 are arranged in a circular array with the central mounting hole as the center; each edge mounting notch 14 is provided with a second clamp 15; the cross-section of the second clamp 15 is a semi-enclosed arc shape; the two ends of the second clamp 15 are fixed to the inner wall of the storage shell 1; one storage cylinder 7 is inserted into the central mounting hole; the other four storage cylinders 7 are respectively inserted into the four second clamps 15, and a buffer 16 is provided between the outer wall of the storage cylinder 7 and the inner wall of the storage shell 1; the cross-sectional shape of the buffer 16 is trapezoidal, the long side of the trapezoid abuts against the outer wall of the storage cylinder 7, and the short side abuts against the inner wall of the storage shell 1.

[0041] In this optional embodiment, four second clamps 15 are symmetrically distributed around the central mounting hole, which can further fix the storage cylinder 7 in the central mounting hole and reduce the vibration of the storage cylinder 7 in the central mounting hole. The second clamps 15 are installed in the edge mounting notch 14, and the second clamps 15 fix the other four storage cylinders 7. At the same time, a trapezoidal buffer 16 is provided between the storage cylinder 7 and the inner wall of the storage shell 1. The buffer 16 can further support the storage cylinder 7, prevent the storage cylinder 7 from shaking in the second clamps 15, and at the same time play a role in vibration reduction.

[0042] Optionally, the second clamp 15 and the buffer 16 are made of silicone, which is convenient for the installation of the storage cylinder 7 and has a good vibration reduction effect.

[0043] like Figure 3 As shown, optionally, the storage cylinder 7 includes a cylinder body 73 and a sealing cap 71; the upper end of the cylinder body 73 is open; the inner wall of the upper end of the cylinder body 73 is provided with internal threads; the bottom wall of the sealing cap 71 is connected to a connecting cylinder 72; the outer wall of the connecting cylinder 72 is provided with external threads that mate with the internal threads; the sealing cap 71 is provided with a connecting hole; one end of the vent pipe 4 passes through the connecting hole and the connecting cylinder 72 and is located inside the cylinder body 73.

[0044] In this optional embodiment, a connecting sleeve 72 is provided on the sealing cap 71 to achieve a threaded connection between the sealing cap 71 and the cylinder 73, thereby enhancing the connection strength between the two and preventing the sealing cap 71 from detaching from the cylinder 73 under the action of gas. Simultaneously, the connecting sleeve 72 is threadedly connected to the cylinder 73, and the sealing cap 71 covers the opening of the cylinder 73. While providing a threaded seal, the sealing cap 71 further serves as a covering seal, resulting in a double seal, improving the sealing effect and preventing gas from escaping from the cylinder 73.

[0045] Optionally, the storage shell 1 is provided with multiple connecting pipes 10 and a discharge pipe 11; the upper end of each connecting pipe 10 is connected to the bottom of a storage cylinder 7, and the lower end of each connecting pipe 10 is connected to the upper end of the discharge pipe 11; the lower end of the discharge pipe 11 is connected to the upper end of the nozzle 5; a one-way throttle valve 12 is provided in the discharge pipe 11 to prevent material from flowing back from the nozzle 5 into the connecting pipe 10.

[0046] Specifically, the material in the storage cylinder 7 is propelled by gas into the connecting pipe 10, then into the discharge pipe 11, and finally extruded through the nozzle 5.

[0047] In this optional embodiment, a one-way throttle valve 12 is provided in the discharge pipe 11 so that the material can only enter the nozzle 5 from the connecting pipe 10 and cannot flow back from the nozzle 5 into the connecting pipe 10, thereby avoiding contamination of the material in the connecting pipe 10.

[0048] like Figure 2 As shown, optionally, the drive mechanism 6 is a micro motor; the micro motor is fixed on the outer top wall of the storage shell 1 and located below the spherical fixed shell 2; the bottom of the spherical fixed shell 2 is provided with a through hole; the power output shaft of the micro motor is vertically arranged and passes through the through hole and is fixed to the bottom of the spherical rotating shell 17, so that the micro motor can drive the spherical rotating shell 17 to rotate in the horizontal plane.

[0049] In this optional embodiment, a micro motor is used to drive the spherical rotating shell 17, which has a simple structure and is easy to install. Positioning the micro motor at the bottom of the spherical fixed shell 2 results in a compact overall structure that occupies little space.

[0050] Optionally, the storage shell 1 includes an upper shell, a middle shell, and a lower shell, all with circular cross-sections. The upper shell, middle shell, and lower shell are connected sequentially from top to bottom, and the diameters of the upper shell, middle shell, and lower shell decrease sequentially. The nozzle 5 is disposed on the bottom wall of the lower shell, the storage cylinder 7 is disposed inside the lower shell, and the spherical fixed shell 2 is disposed on the top wall of the upper shell.

[0051] This embodiment provides a direct-write 3D printer, including the print head of the direct-write 3D printer as described above.

[0052] The direct-write 3D printer in this embodiment also includes a control system, a drive unit, and other components. The drive unit drives the print head to move along the X, Y, and Z axes, thereby adjusting the position of the nozzle 5. The control system controls the operation of the drive unit, causing it to work according to preset instructions.

[0053] The advantages of the direct-write 3D printer in this embodiment compared to the prior art are the same as those of the print head of the direct-write 3D printer described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0054] While the present invention has been disclosed above, its scope of protection is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such changes and modifications will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A printhead for a direct-write 3D printer, characterized in that, include: Storage shell (1), multiple storage cylinders (7), nozzle (5), spherical fixed shell (2), spherical rotating shell (17), drive mechanism (6); Multiple storage cylinders (7) are disposed inside the storage shell (1); The nozzle (5) is fixed on the bottom wall of the storage shell (1); the upper end of the nozzle (5) is connected to the plurality of storage cylinders (7), and the lower end is located outside the storage shell (1); The spherical fixed shell (2) is fixed on the outer wall of the storage shell (1); the spherical fixed shell (2) is provided with a plurality of ventilation holes (8); each ventilation hole (8) is connected to a storage cylinder (7) through a ventilation pipe (4); The spherical rotating shell (17) is disposed inside the spherical fixed shell (2) and is concentric with the spherical fixed shell (2); the spherical rotating shell (17) is provided with a plurality of air outlets (25). The spherical fixed shell (2) is provided with an external air inlet; the spherical rotating shell (17) is provided with an internal air inlet; An air inlet pipe (3) is provided inside the external air inlet; one end of the air inlet pipe (3) is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the internal air inlet, and the other end is used to connect to an air supply device that supplies air to the spherical rotating shell (17); The driving mechanism (6) is connected to the spherical rotating shell (17) and is used to drive the spherical rotating shell (17) to rotate inside the spherical fixed shell (2) with the central axis of the inner air inlet as the rotation axis, so that one of the air outlets (25) is aligned with one of the air vents (8), thereby extruding the material in the corresponding storage cylinder (7) through the nozzle (5), or aligning multiple air outlets (25) with multiple air vents (8) respectively, thereby extruding the material in the corresponding multiple storage cylinders (7) through the nozzle (5).

2. The print head of the direct-write 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vent (8) is provided with a sealing plug; The sealing plug includes a mounting base (22), a plug head (19), and a spring (21); The mounting base (22) is disposed inside the vent (8) and seals the vent (8); the mounting base (22) is provided with a through hole (23); The plug (19) is located on the side of the mounting base (22) near the spherical rotating shell (17), and the plug (19) is provided with a plug (20) on the side of the mounting base (22). One end of the spring (21) is connected to the mounting base (22), and the other end is connected to the plug (19); When the vent (8) is not aligned with the vent (25), the outer wall of the spherical rotating shell (17) applies a force toward the mounting base (22) to the plug (19), the spring (21) is compressed, and the plug (20) is located in the through hole (23) to seal the through hole (23). When the vent (8) is aligned with the vent (25), the spring (21) extends and pushes the plug (20) out of the through hole (23) to open the through hole (23) and make the vent (25) communicate with the through hole (23).

3. The print head of the direct-write 3D printer according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a sealing ring (18) and multiple sealing cylinders (24); The sealing ring (18) is fitted outside the spherical rotating shell (17) and located inside the spherical fixed shell (2); The sealing ring (18) is provided with multiple sealing holes; The plurality of sealing holes are aligned one-to-one with the plurality of vent holes (8); One end of each of the sealing cylinders (24) is connected to one of the sealing holes, and the other end is connected to one of the vent holes (8); The plug (19) is located inside the sealing cylinder (24).

4. The print head of the direct-write 3D printer according to claim 2, characterized in that, The longitudinal section of the plug (19) near the spherical rotating shell (17) is arc-shaped; the arc bends toward the spherical rotating shell (17).

5. The print head of the direct-write 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are five ventilation holes (8) and five storage cylinders (7); the center of the five ventilation holes (8) is located on one arc of one horizontal section of the spherical fixed shell (2), and the five ventilation holes (8) are evenly spaced. There are nine air outlets (25); the nine air outlets (25) are divided into three groups, the first group includes one first air outlet (251), the second group includes three adjacent second air outlets (252), and the third group includes five adjacent third air outlets (253). The air outlets (25) of the first group, the second group, and the third group are all arranged sequentially at intervals along one of the horizontal cross-sections of the spherical rotating shell (17); The interval between two adjacent vents (8), the interval between two adjacent second vents (252), and the interval between two adjacent third vents (253) are all equal; The centers of the nine air outlets (25) and the centers of the five air vents (8) are located on the same horizontal plane; The distance between two adjacent sets of air outlets (25) is greater than the distance between two adjacent air vents (8), so that one first air outlet (251) can be aligned with one air vent (8), or three second air outlets (252) can be aligned with three air vents (8), or five third air outlets (253) can be aligned with five air vents (8).

6. The print head of the direct-write 3D printer according to claim 5, characterized in that, The storage shell (1) is provided with a first clamp (13) and a second clamp (15); The first clamp (13) has a central mounting hole and four edge mounting notches (14); The four edge mounting notches (14) are arranged in a circular array with the central mounting hole as the center; Each of the edge mounting notches (14) is provided with a second clamp (15); the cross-section of the second clamp (15) is a semi-enclosed arc; the two ends of the second clamp (15) are fixed to the inner wall of the storage shell (1); One of the storage cylinders (7) is fitted into the middle mounting hole; the other four storage cylinders (7) are respectively fitted into the four second clamps (15), and a buffer (16) is provided between the outer wall of the storage cylinder (7) and the inner wall of the storage shell (1); the cross-sectional shape of the buffer (16) is trapezoidal, the long side of the trapezoid abuts against the outer wall of the storage cylinder (7), and the short side abuts against the inner wall of the storage shell (1).

7. The print head of the direct-write 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The storage cylinder (7) includes a cylinder body (73) and a sealing cap (71); The upper end of the cylinder (73) is open; the inner wall of the upper end of the cylinder (73) is provided with an internal thread; the bottom wall of the sealing cover (71) is connected to a connecting cylinder (72); the outer wall of the connecting cylinder (72) is provided with an external thread that matches the internal thread; the sealing cover (71) is provided with a connecting hole; one end of the vent pipe (4) passes through the connecting hole and the connecting cylinder (72) and is located inside the cylinder (73).

8. The print head of the direct-write 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The storage shell (1) is provided with multiple connecting pipes (10) and a discharge pipe (11); The upper end of each of the connecting pipes (10) is connected to the bottom of one of the storage cylinders (7), and the lower end of each of the connecting pipes (10) is connected to the upper end of the discharge pipe (11); the lower end of the discharge pipe (11) is connected to the upper end of the nozzle (5). The discharge pipe (11) is equipped with a one-way throttle valve (12) to prevent material from flowing back from the nozzle (5) into the connecting pipe (10).

9. The print head of the direct-write 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism (6) is a micro motor; The micro motor is fixed on the outer top wall of the storage shell (1) and located below the spherical fixed shell (2); The bottom of the spherical fixed shell (2) is provided with a perforation; The power output shaft of the micro motor is vertically arranged and passes through the perforation and is fixed to the bottom of the spherical rotating shell (17) so that the micro motor can drive the spherical rotating shell (17) to rotate in the horizontal plane.

10. A direct-write 3D printer, characterized in that, Includes the printhead of a direct-write 3D printer as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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