Frame structure for 3D printing

Abstract

The utility model discloses a frame structure for 3D printing, the frame structure comprises a top frame, a bottom plate, a pair of side frames and a cross beam, the side frames are the same in structure, a reinforcing plate is arranged below the bottom plate, through the integrally-integrated frame design, the assembly error is reduced by using the integrated stress conduction principle, the frame parallelism and the structural rigidity are improved, and the assembly efficiency is improved. The standardized design of the pair of side frames realizes interchange adaptation, the maintenance difficulty is reduced, the reinforcing plate optimizes the flatness of the bottom plate, adjusts the gravity center of the frame and enhances the operation stability of equipment, and the 3D printing frame is reasonable in structural design, effectively improves the vibration problem in the printing process, guarantees the printing quality, is convenient to maintain and is suitable for various high-precision 3D printing equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of 3D printing equipment technology, and specifically to a frame structure for 3D printing. Background Technology

[0002] The frame structure of a 3D printer is a core component that ensures printing accuracy and operational stability. Its structural design directly determines the dimensional accuracy of the printed model, the quality of layer bonding, and the long-term reliability of the equipment. However, existing 3D printer frame structures still have many technical shortcomings, making it difficult to meet the demands for high-precision and high-stability printing.

[0003] In existing technologies, 3D printer frames are mainly divided into two common structures: one is the traditional four-legged frame structure. This structure adopts a distributed leg support design, which has a low degree of integration. The lack of a unified positioning benchmark during the assembly of various components leads to large installation errors, making it difficult to accurately control the parallelism and perpendicularity of the frame. At the same time, the distributed support method results in insufficient overall structural rigidity. When the print head moves at high speed, the platform is raised or lowered, or when carrying a heavy model, it is prone to slight deformation due to uneven stress. This directly affects the relative positional accuracy of the print head and the printing platform, ultimately leading to problems such as interlayer misalignment and dimensional deviations in the printed model.

[0004] Another type is a plate frame structure that is welded into one piece using materials such as sheet metal, wood, or glass (such as the sheet metal frame of the 3D printer disclosed in the utility model patent with authorization announcement number CN214294482U). Although this type of one-piece plate structure simplifies the structural composition, it has significant shortcomings in stability: the welding process is prone to stress concentration, resulting in weak overall torsional and bending resistance of the frame, and irreversible deformation is likely to occur after long-term use; moreover, the assembly flexibility of the one-piece structure is poor, and once a part is damaged, the whole structure needs to be replaced, resulting in high maintenance costs.

[0005] Furthermore, both existing frame structures generally suffer from poor flatness of the base plate, and the high center of gravity of the frame design results in insufficient stability during equipment operation. During the printing process, especially in high-speed printing or large-size model printing scenarios, the equipment is prone to severe vibration. This vibration not only exacerbates the deformation of the frame itself but also interferes with the forming process of the printing material, leading to defects such as bottom warping and surface roughness in the printed model, which seriously restricts the application of 3D printing technology in high-precision fields. Utility Model Content

[0006] This utility model aims to solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0007] This application provides a frame structure for 3D printing, including a base plate, a top frame and a pair of side frames. The side frames and the top frame are both integral closed ring structures, and the base plate and the top frame are fixedly connected to the pair of side frames.

[0008] It also includes several crossbeams, which are respectively installed between a pair of side frames and in the middle of the rear side frames.

[0009] Reinforcing ribs are provided on the crossbeams, as well as on the top and side frames.

[0010] The reinforcing ribs are installed perpendicular to the length of the beam, top frame, or side frame to which they are located.

[0011] The side frame is provided with an outer panel and an inner panel. The bottom surface and two sides of the bottom panel abut against the inner wall of the outer panel, and the top surface of the bottom panel abuts against the bottom surface of the inner panel.

[0012] The top and bottom of the side frame are provided with extensions for bolt connection to the base plate or side frame.

[0013] Reinforcing panels are fixed to the edges of both the base plate and the top frame.

[0014] A reinforcing plate extending parallel to the side frame is also fixed in the middle of the bottom surface of the base plate.

[0015] The reinforcing plate is made of aluminum and its length is 80% of the base plate length.

[0016] The top and bottom surfaces of the reinforcing plate are provided with honeycomb-shaped reinforcing ribs.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0018] 1. The integrated frame structure, consisting of a pair of side frames, a top frame, a bottom plate, and a crossbeam, utilizes the principle of integrated force transmission to reduce assembly gaps and positioning deviations, lower installation errors, improve frame parallelism and structural rigidity, and effectively ensure print quality.

[0019] 2. By using a pair of side frames with the same structure as the connection structure between the top frame and the bottom plate, based on the principle of standardized interchangeability, the production and processing process is simplified, the difficulty of matching parts for later maintenance is reduced, the convenience of maintenance is improved and the maintenance cost is reduced.

[0020] 3. By setting reinforcing plates under the base plate, the flatness of the base plate is improved by utilizing the planar stability and center of gravity adjustment of the aluminum parts, the overall center of gravity of the frame is lowered, the stability of machine operation is improved, and severe vibrations during printing are avoided. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional view of the frame structure used for 3D printing in the embodiments of this application;

[0022] Figure 2This is a three-dimensional view of the frame structure used for 3D printing in the embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the side frame in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the top frame in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the reinforcing plate in an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure Labels

[0027] 1-Base plate, 2-Top frame, 3-Side frame, 31-Outer perimeter plate, 32-Inner perimeter plate, 4-Crossbeam, 5-Reinforcing rib, 6-Reinforcing perimeter plate, 7-Reinforcing plate, 8-Reinforcing rib. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0030] The framework structure for 3D printing provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, through specific embodiments and application scenarios.

[0031] Example 1:

[0032] This application provides a frame structure for 3D printing, including a base plate 1, a top frame 2 and a pair of side frames 3. The side frames 3 and the top frame 2 are both integral closed ring structures, and the base plate 1 and the top frame 2 are both fixedly connected to the pair of side frames 3.

[0033] In this embodiment of the application, a plurality of crossbeams 4 are also included, which are respectively erected between a pair of side frames 3 and in the middle of the rear side frame 3.

[0034] In this embodiment of the application, reinforcing ribs 5 are provided on the crossbeam 4, as well as on the top frame 2 and the side frame 3.

[0035] In this embodiment of the application, the reinforcing rib 5 is arranged perpendicular to the length direction of the crossbeam 4, top frame 2 or side frame 3 where it is located.

[0036] In this embodiment of the application, the side frame 3 is provided with an outer plate 31 and an inner plate 32. The bottom surface and two sides of the bottom plate 1 abut against the inner wall of the outer plate 31, and the top surface of the bottom plate 1 abuts against the bottom surface of the inner plate 32.

[0037] In this embodiment of the application, the top and bottom of the side frame 3 are provided with extensions for connecting to the base plate 1 or the side frame 3 by bolts.

[0038] In this embodiment of the application, reinforcing panels 6 are fixed on the edges of both the bottom plate 1 and the top frame 2.

[0039] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, due to the above-mentioned structure, on the one hand, the integrated closed ring structure of the side frame 3 and the top frame 2 significantly improves the torsional stiffness and overall stability of the structure itself compared with the traditional split frame, avoiding the "micro-shaking" problem caused by the gaps in the frame splicing during the printing process; on the other hand, the crossbeams 4 erected between the side frames 3 and in the rear side frame 3 can form a multi-directional support system, further dispersing the load generated by the 3D printing equipment during operation (such as the high-speed movement of the print head and the lifting of the platform), reducing the local stress concentration of the frame; and the reinforcing ribs 5 set perpendicular to the length direction on the top frame 2, the side frames 3 and the crossbeams 4, the reinforcing ribs 5 extend to the reinforcing plate 6 of the corresponding top frame 2, and also extend to the outer plate 31 of the corresponding side frame 3. The cross section of the crossbeams 4 is L-shaped, which can specifically enhance the bending performance of the components and effectively suppress the "sagging" or deformation of long frames due to their own weight or external loads.

[0040] Meanwhile, the outer plate 31 and inner plate 32 of the side frame 3 precisely abut against the top, bottom, and two sides of the base plate 1, enabling rapid positioning and installation of the base plate 1 and reducing assembly errors. The double-layer plate structure also provides all-around constraint for the base plate 1, preventing lateral displacement when bearing the printed model. The extensions at the top and bottom of the side frame 3 are bolted to the base plate 1 or the top frame 2, ensuring reliable and removable connections (facilitating later maintenance or component replacement). The pre-tightening force of the bolts further calibrates the parallelism and perpendicularity of the frame, ensuring the relative positional accuracy between the printing platform and the print head. Furthermore, the reinforcing plates 6 on the base plate 1 and top frame 2 further enhance the structural strength of key load-bearing components, preventing dents in the base plate 1 or deformation of the top frame 2 due to long-term use. Ultimately, this provides a stable and high-precision structural foundation for 3D printing, reducing defects such as misalignment of printed layers and model deformation caused by frame issues.

[0041] Example 2:

[0042] In this embodiment, in addition to the structural features of the aforementioned embodiments, a reinforcing plate 7 extending parallel to the side frame 3 is also fixed in the middle of the bottom surface of the base plate 1.

[0043] In this embodiment of the application, the reinforcing plate 7 is made of aluminum and its length is 80% of the length of the base plate 1.

[0044] In this embodiment of the application, the top and bottom surfaces of the reinforcing plate 7 are provided with honeycomb-shaped reinforcing ribs 8.

[0045] like Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, due to the above structure, based on the overall stiffness and stability of the frame already achieved in Example 1, the load-bearing and vibration resistance performance of the base plate 1 has been further optimized: the aluminum reinforcing plate 7 fixed in the middle of the bottom surface of the base plate 1, with the help of the "lightweight + high strength" characteristics of aluminum alloy, specifically enhances the central support strength of the base plate 1 without significantly increasing the overall weight of the frame - especially suitable for the "central deflection" problem that is prone to occur in large-size 3D printing scenarios due to the large span of the base plate 1, and the design of 80% of the length of the base plate 1 can accurately cover the main stress area of ​​the base plate 1 (the printed model is mostly placed in the middle of the base plate 1), avoiding material waste while maximizing the support effect;

[0046] Meanwhile, the honeycomb-shaped reinforcing ribs 8 on the top and bottom surfaces of the reinforcing plate 7 utilize the mechanical advantage of the honeycomb structure's "multi-directional force dispersion" to quickly transfer the printing load (such as model weight and platform inertial force) borne by the base plate 1 to the side frame 3, reducing local stress concentration. Furthermore, the closed cavities inside the honeycomb structure also act as a "vibration damping buffer," absorbing vibration energy transmitted to the base plate 1 during printing (such as impacts from printhead impacts and platform sudden stops), further reducing the impact of vibration on the adhesion accuracy of the printed layers. Ultimately, this structure, based on Embodiment 1, further enhances the long-term stability and vibration resistance of the base plate 1, making it particularly suitable for scenarios with higher performance requirements for the base plate 1, such as printing heavy models and high-speed printing, effectively reducing problems such as warping of the printed model bottom and loose interlayer bonding caused by vibration or deformation of the base plate 1.

[0047] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0048] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A frame structure for 3D printing, characterized in that, The base plate, the top frame and the pair of side frames are integrally formed into a closed ring shape, and the base plate and the top frame are fixedly connected with the pair of side frames.

2. A frame structure for 3D printing according to claim 1, characterized in that, A plurality of cross beams are arranged between the pair of side frames and the middle portions of the rear side frames.

3. A frame structure for 3D printing according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cross beams, the top frame and the side frames are provided with reinforcing ribs.

4. The frame structure for 3D printing according to claim 3, wherein, The reinforcing ribs are arranged perpendicularly to the length direction of the cross beams, the top frame or the side frames.

5. The frame structure for 3D printing according to claim 1, wherein, The side frames are provided with outer peripheral plates and inner peripheral plates, the bottom surface and the two side surfaces of the base plate abut against the inner walls of the outer peripheral plates, and the top surface of the base plate abuts against the bottom surface of the inner peripheral plates.

6. The frame structure for 3D printing according to claim 1, wherein, The top portions and the bottom portions of the side frames are provided with extension portions for being connected with the base plate or the side frames by bolts.

7. The frame structure for 3D printing according to claim 1, wherein, The edges of the base plate and the top frame are fixedly provided with reinforcing surrounding plates.

8. The frame structure for 3D printing according to claim 1, wherein, The middle portion of the bottom surface of the base plate is further fixedly provided with a reinforcing plate member extending parallel to the side frames.

9. The frame structure for 3D printing according to claim 8, characterized in that, The reinforcing plate member is made of aluminum and has a length of 80% of the length of the base plate.

10. The frame structure for 3D printing according to claim 8, wherein, The top surface and the bottom surface of the reinforcing plate member are provided with honeycomb-shaped reinforcing ribs.

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