Automatic consumable switching device for 3D printing

Abstract

An automatic consumable switching device for 3D printing relates to the technical field of 3D printing and comprises a shell and a wire feeding mechanism. A wire feeding mechanism is arranged in the shell; the wire feeding mechanism comprises two supporting wheels, and a driving mechanism is arranged between the two supporting wheels. The driving mechanism comprises a motor correspondingly connected with the shell in a fastened mode, a shaft body of an output shaft of the motor is rotationally connected with a gear seat, and the shaft body of the output shaft is provided with a friction transmission device corresponding to the gear seat and driving the gear seat to deflect through friction force. A base body of the gear base is rotationally connected with a driving gear and two driven gears, the driving gear and the two driven gears are arranged in a triangular shape, and the driving gear is coaxially connected with an output shaft of the motor in a fastened mode; printing consumable channels are arranged between the shell and the driving mechanism and correspond to the two supporting wheels; the automatic feeding device is simple in structure, and automatic switching feeding between two sets of printing supplies is achieved by controlling forward and reverse rotation of one motor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of 3D printing, in particular to a 3D printing automatic consumable switching device. Background Art

[0002] At present, there are many kinds of molding technologies used by 3D printers on the market, among which FDM fused deposition modeling technology is particularly popular and occupies a dominant position in the market. This type of 3D printer uses different raw materials to make filamentary materials as the basic material for printing according to various usage scenarios and needs, showing its wide applicability and flexibility. FDM 3D printers need to drive the feeding of filamentary printing consumables through a wire feeding device. Most of the wire feeding devices on the market can only drive a group of printing consumables to feed through a motor, but in the actual printing process, a group of printing consumables may need to be used for large three-dimensional objects. The current operation method is to wait until the old printing consumables are used up before inserting new printing consumables into the wire feeding device, and then continue the printing operation. During the printing process, the operator needs to always observe the expected status of the printing consumables in order to insert the new printing consumables in time, which requires a lot of energy and is extremely inconvenient to use. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a 3D printing automatic switching consumables device that automatically switches after the old printing consumables are used up to drive the feeding of new printing consumables.

[0003] A Chinese patent (publication number: CN106142553A) discloses a multi-color 3D printer; the patent includes a control system and multiple printing devices controlled by the control system, the printing devices include a first motor, a second motor, a bell mouth, a wire feeding guide tube, a first wire feeding wheel, a second wire feeding wheel and a nozzle, the first motor drives the first wire feeding wheel to extract the color consumables and transport them to the nozzle through the wire feeding guide tube equipped with a bell mouth, and the second motor drives the second wire feeding wheel to extract the color consumables in the nozzle through the wire feeding guide tube equipped with a bell mouth and return them to the container of the same color consumables; although the patent can automatically switch between multiple groups of printing consumables, its structure is complex, multiple motors need to be used, and the cost of use is high. Utility Model Content

[0004] In order to overcome the deficiencies in the background technology, the utility model discloses a 3D printing automatic consumable switching device.

[0005] In order to achieve the above utility model purpose, the utility model adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] A 3D printing automatic switching consumables device comprises a shell and a wire feeding mechanism; the shell is provided with a wire feeding mechanism; the wire feeding mechanism comprises two supporting wheels, and a driving mechanism is provided between the two supporting wheels; the driving mechanism comprises a motor correspondingly and tightly connected to the shell, the output shaft of the motor is rotatably connected to a gear seat, and the output shaft is provided with a friction transmission device corresponding to the gear seat for driving the gear seat to deflect by friction; the gear seat is rotatably connected to a driving gear and two driven gears, and the driving gear and the two driven gears are arranged in a triangle, and the driving gear is coaxially and tightly connected to the output shaft of the motor; printing consumables channels are provided between the two supporting wheels corresponding to the shell and the driving mechanism.

[0007] Preferably, the friction transmission device is a torque limiter; or the friction transmission device includes a disc spring movably mounted corresponding to the output shaft body of the motor, one end of the disc spring is in friction contact with the gear seat, and the output shaft body of the motor is equipped with a limit ring for compressing the other end of the disc spring, and the limit ring is tightly connected to the output shaft of the motor; the output shaft body of the motor is provided with a shoulder or a limit pin on the side of the gear seat facing away from the disc spring corresponding to the gear seat, which limits the axial movement of the gear seat.

[0008] Preferably, the limit retaining ring is correspondingly threadedly connected to the output shaft of the motor.

[0009] Preferably, the driving gear comprises a gear shaft rotatably connected to the gear seat, one end of the gear shaft is provided with a gear meshing with the driving gear, and the other end is provided with an arc gear for driving the printing consumables.

[0010] Preferably, an annular groove is provided on the circular surface of the supporting wheel.

[0011] Preferably, both printing consumables channels are provided with sensors for detecting printing consumables.

[0012] Preferably, the gear seat comprises two mounting plates disposed at intervals, and the two mounting plates are fixedly connected at positions corresponding to the positions between the two driving gears.

[0013] Due to the adoption of the above-mentioned technical solution, the utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0014] The utility model discloses a 3D printing automatic switching consumables device with a simple structure and low production cost. The wire feeding mechanism comprises two supporting wheels, and a driving mechanism is arranged between the two supporting wheels, that is, the feeding is automatically switched between two groups of printing consumables by controlling the forward and reverse rotation of a motor. The friction transmission device comprises a disc spring and a limit retaining ring for compressing the disc spring, which effectively reduces the use cost and reduces the volume of the driving mechanism. The output shaft of the limit retaining ring motor corresponds to a threaded connection, and the size of the friction driving force of the friction transmission device can be adjusted by screwing the limit retaining ring. A plurality of disc springs can be arranged between the limit retaining ring and the gear seat, thereby increasing the size of the adjustment interval. The gear seat comprises two mounting plates arranged at intervals, and the driving gear and two driven gears are located between the two mounting plates, thereby increasing the structural strength of the gear seat and the stability of the driving gear and the two driven gears. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 is a top view of the interior of the shell;

[0016] Figure 2 A bottom view of the interior of the shell;

[0017] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the wire feeding mechanism;

[0018] Figure 4 It is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the gear seat;

[0019] In the figure: 1. Housing; 2. Wire feeding mechanism; 2-1. Support wheel; 2-2. Motor; 2-3. Gear seat; 2-4. Driving gear; 2-5. Driven gear; 2-6. Disc spring; 2-7. Limiting ring; 2-8. Sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The present invention can be explained in detail through the following embodiments. The purpose of disclosing the present invention is to protect all technical improvements within the scope of the present invention. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that if there are terms such as "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", etc. indicating directions or positional relationships, they only correspond to the drawings of the present application for the convenience of describing the present invention, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction.

[0021] Embodiment 1, in combination with Figures 1 to 3A 3D printing automatic switching consumables device comprises a shell 1 and a wire feeding mechanism 2; the shell 1 is provided with a wire feeding mechanism 2; the wire feeding mechanism 2 comprises two supporting wheels 2-1, a driving mechanism is provided between the two supporting wheels 2-1, and a printing consumables channel is provided between the two supporting wheels 2-1 of the shell 1 and the driving mechanism, the printing consumables are clamped by the driving mechanism and the corresponding supporting wheels 2-1, and the printing consumables are fed by the driving mechanism;

[0022] The driving mechanism includes a motor 2-2 which is correspondingly and firmly connected to the housing 1, the output shaft of the motor 2-2 is rotatably connected to a gear seat 2-3, and the output shaft is corresponding to the gear seat 2-3 and is provided with a friction transmission device which drives the gear seat 2-3 to deflect by friction force; the gear seat 2-3 is rotatably connected to a driving gear 2-4 and two driven gears 2-5, and the driving gear 2-4 and the two driven gears 2-5 are arranged in a triangle, that is, the two driven gears 2-5 rotate in opposite directions, and the driving gear 2-4 is coaxially and firmly connected to the output shaft of the motor 2-2;

[0023] It should be noted that the motor 2-2 can be a reduction motor, so as to ensure the output torque; in order to reduce the overall volume of the wire feeding mechanism 2, the motor shaft of the reduction motor can be vertically connected to its output shaft through a vertical transmission mechanism;

[0024] Working principle of wire feeding mechanism 2:

[0025] The output shaft of the motor 2-2 can drive the gear seat 2-3 to deflect through the friction transmission device, and at the same time drive the driving gear 2-4 to rotate, and the driving gear 2-4 drives the two driven gears 2-5 to rotate. When the driven gear 2-5 presses the printing consumables onto the corresponding support wheel 2-1, the gear seat 2-3 is subjected to resistance. When the resistance to the gear seat 2-3 is greater than the friction transmission force of the friction transmission device, the gear seat 2-3 overcomes the friction driving force of the friction transmission device and stops deflecting, and the gear seat 2-3 maintains the deflection angle under the action of the friction driving force of the friction transmission device, so that the corresponding driven gear 2-5 presses the corresponding printing consumables and drives the printing consumables to feed;

[0026] When it is necessary to drive another printing consumable, the motor 2-2 is controlled to rotate in the opposite direction, and the output shaft of the motor 2-2 drives the friction transmission device and then drives the gear seat 2-3 to deflect in the opposite direction until the corresponding printing consumable is pressed. The driving principle is the same as the above method;

[0027] It should be noted that when it is necessary to thread or withdraw the material or when the wire feeding mechanism 2 is not needed to drive the printing consumables, the motor 2-2 can be controlled so that the driving mechanism is located in the middle of the two supporting wheels 2-1, so that the two driven gears 2-5 are not in contact with the corresponding printing consumables;

[0028] The friction transmission device is a torque limiter, that is, the output shaft of the motor 2-2 can transmit the set torque to the gear seat 2-3 through the torque limiter. When the resistance of the gear seat 2-3 is greater than the torque set by the torque limiter, the torque limiter generates a sliding torque, and the gear seat 2-3 stops deflecting and maintains the corresponding deflection angle under the action of the sliding torque; the torque limiter is an existing mature product, so its specific structure and installation method are not repeated in this embodiment;

[0029] In order to reduce the cost of use and the size of the driving mechanism, the friction transmission device includes a disc spring 2-6 movably mounted corresponding to the output shaft body of the motor 2-2, one end of the disc spring 2-6 is in friction contact with the gear seat 2-3, and the output shaft body of the motor 2-2 is equipped with a limit ring 2-7 for clamping the other end of the disc spring 2-6, and the limit ring 2-7 is tightly connected to the output shaft of the motor 2-2; the output shaft body of the motor 2-2 corresponds to the side of the gear seat 2-3 away from the disc spring 2-6 and is provided with a shoulder or a limit pin for limiting the axial movement of the gear seat 2-3, that is, the disc spring 2-6 is compressed by the limit ring 2-7, and at the same time, the shoulder or the limit pin of the output shaft body of the motor 2-2 limits the axial movement of the gear seat 2-3, so that the disc spring 2-6 can be pressed on the gear On the seat 2-3, friction is generated between the disc spring 2-6 and the gear seat 2-3 and between the disc spring 2-6 and the limit retaining ring 2-7; the output shaft of the motor 2-2 drives the limit retaining ring 2-7, and the limit retaining ring 2-7 drives the gear seat 2-3 to deflect along the output shaft of the motor 2-2 through the disc spring 2-6; when the resistance encountered by the gear seat 2-3 is greater than the friction between the disc spring 2-6 and the gear seat 2-3 or the disc spring 2-6 and the limit retaining ring 2-7, the gear seat 2-3 stops deflecting, and the output shaft of the motor 2-2 can continue to rotate; at this time, sliding friction is generated between the disc spring 2-6 and the gear seat 2-3 or the disc spring 2-6 and the limit retaining ring 2-7, and the sliding friction causes the gear seat 2-3 to maintain the corresponding deflection angle until the motor 2-2 rotates in the opposite direction;

[0030] It should be noted that the limit ring 2-7 is threadedly connected to the output shaft of the motor 2-2, that is, the size of the friction driving force of the friction transmission device can be adjusted by screwing the limit ring 2-7; a plurality of disc springs 2-6 can be arranged between the limit ring 2-7 and the gear seat 2-3 to increase the size of the adjustment range;

[0031] When in use, the two groups of printing consumables are respectively inserted into the two printing consumables channels, and one group of printing consumables is driven to feed by controlling the rotation direction of the motor 2-2; when it is necessary to switch to another group of printing consumables, it is only necessary to control the motor 2-2 to rotate in the opposite direction to achieve automatic switching.

[0032] Embodiment 2, although the above embodiment can realize automatic switching feeding between two groups of printing consumables; however, it is found during use that the stability of the wire feeding mechanism 2 is poor; for example, in the process of driving the printing consumables through the wire feeding mechanism 2, the printing consumables are easy to accidentally detach from the corresponding driven gear 2-5 or the supporting wheel 2-1; in order to solve the above defects, this embodiment is further improved;

[0033] Combined with Figures 1 to 4 , a 3D printing automatic switching consumables device, which is different from Example 1 in that on the basis of Example 1, Figure 3 As shown, the driving gear 2-4 includes a gear shaft rotatably connected to the gear seat 2-3, one end of the gear shaft is provided with a gear meshing with the driving gear 2-4, and the other end is provided with an arc gear for driving the printing consumables, that is, the arc groove of the gear teeth of the arc gear can limit the corresponding printing consumables, thereby preventing the printing consumables from accidentally detaching from the corresponding driven gear 2-5 or the supporting wheel 2-1, and at the same time can increase the contact area between the driven gear 2-5 and the corresponding printing consumables, thereby increasing the driving force for the printing consumables;

[0034] Or an annular groove is provided on the round surface of the support wheel 2-1, and when driving the printing consumables to feed, the driven gear 2-5 can press the corresponding printing consumables into the annular groove on the round surface of the corresponding support wheel 2-1, thereby preventing the printing consumables from accidentally detaching from the corresponding driven gear 2-5 or the support wheel 2-1;

[0035] In addition, in order to improve the transmission stability between the gear seat 2-3 and the driving gear 2-4 and the two driven gears 2-5, the gear seat 2-3 can be further improved; Figure 4 As shown, the gear seat 2-3 includes two spaced mounting plates, and the two mounting plates are fastened to the positions corresponding to the two driving gears 2-4, so that the driving gear 2-4 and the two driven gears 2-5 are located between the two mounting plates, thereby improving the structural strength of the gear seat 2-3 and the stability of the driving gear 2-4 and the two driven gears 2-5;

[0036] It should be noted that the positions between the two mounting plates corresponding to the two driving gears 2-4 can be fastened together by a connecting plate, or the two mounting plates and the connecting parts therebetween are an integrated structure. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the two mounting plates and the connecting parts therebetween do not interfere with the driving gear 2-4 and the driven gear 2-5.

[0037] Embodiment 3, in combination with Figures 1 to 4, a 3D printing automatic switching consumables device, based on embodiment 1 or 2, two printing consumables channels are provided with sensors 2-8 for detecting printing consumables, and the sensor 2-8 can be a photoelectric switch or a micro switch, that is, when the printing consumables pass through the sensor 2-8, the sensor 2-8 can be triggered to detect whether there are printing consumables in the corresponding printing consumables channel.

[0038] The parts of the present invention that are not described in detail are prior art. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments, and that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or basic features of the present invention. Therefore, no matter from which point of view, the embodiments should be regarded as exemplary and non-restrictive, and it is intended that all changes that fall within the meaning and scope of equivalent elements are included in the present invention.

Claims

1. A 3D printing automatic consumable switching device, comprising a housing (1), characterized in that: The invention also comprises a wire feeding mechanism (2); the housing (1) is provided with a wire feeding mechanism (2), the wire feeding mechanism (2) comprises two supporting wheels (2-1), and a driving mechanism is provided between the two supporting wheels (2-1); the driving mechanism comprises a motor (2-2) which is correspondingly and firmly connected to the housing (1); the output shaft of the motor (2-2) is rotatably connected to a gear seat (2-3), and the output shaft corresponding to the gear seat (2-3) is provided with a friction transmission device which drives the gear seat (2-3) to deflect by friction force; the gear seat (2-3) is rotatably connected to a driving gear (2-4) and two driven gears (2-5), and the driving gear (2-4) and the two driven gears (2-5) are arranged in a triangle, and the driving gear (2-4) is coaxially and firmly connected to the output shaft of the motor (2-2); and printing consumables channels are provided between the two supporting wheels (2-1) corresponding to the housing (1) and the driving mechanism.

2. The 3D printing automatic switching consumables device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The friction transmission device is a torque limiter.

3. The 3D printing automatic consumable switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The friction transmission device comprises a disc spring (2-6) movably sleeved corresponding to the output shaft body of the motor (2-2), one end of the disc spring (2-6) being in frictional contact with the gear seat (2-3), the output shaft body of the motor (2-2) being provided with a limit retaining ring (2-7) for compressing the other end of the disc spring (2-6), the limit retaining ring (2-7) being tightly connected to the output shaft of the motor (2-2); a shoulder or a limit pin for limiting the axial movement of the gear seat (2-3) is provided on the side of the output shaft body of the motor (2-2) corresponding to the gear seat (2-3) away from the disc spring (2-6).

4. The 3D printing automatic switching consumables device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The limit retaining ring (2-7) is correspondingly threadedly connected to the output shaft of the motor (2-2).

5. The 3D printing automatic switching consumables device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving gear (2-4) comprises a gear shaft rotatably connected to the gear seat (2-3); one end of the gear shaft is provided with a gear corresponding to the driving gear (2-4); and the other end is provided with an arc gear for driving printing consumables.

6. The 3D printing automatic consumable switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: An annular groove is provided on the circular surface of the supporting wheel (2-1).

7. The 3D printing automatic consumable switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both printing consumables channels are provided with sensors (2-8) for detecting printing consumables.

8. The 3D printing automatic consumable switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gear seat (2-3) comprises two installation plates which are arranged at intervals, and the two installation plates are fastened and connected at positions corresponding to the positions between the two driving gears (2-4).

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