Integrated 3D printing equipment

Abstract

The utility model discloses integrated 3D printing equipment which comprises a bearing platform provided with a Z-axis moving mechanism. The forming mechanism comprises a material groove borne on the bearing platform, a component platform connected with the Z-axis moving mechanism and an energy radiation device arranged corresponding to the material groove so as to project energy towards a printing datum plane to form a curing layer. The component platform is driven by the Z-axis moving mechanism to move layer by layer so as to accumulate and attach the curing layer on the surface of the component to form a 3D component; the shoveling mechanism is arranged on the bearing platform and used for moving to pass through the surface of the component after printing is completed so as to strip and bear the 3D component; the material conveying system comprises a feeding mechanism and a material receiving mechanism, wherein the feeding mechanism is communicated with the material groove so as to feed materials into the material groove, and the material receiving mechanism is communicated with the material groove so as to extract the materials from the material groove when the materials are prepared to be replaced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and more particularly to an integrated 3D printing device. Background Technology

[0002] 3D printing technology is a type of rapid prototyping technology that typically uses liquid photosensitive resin, photosensitive polymer, and other materials as curing materials. The printed model is divided into multiple cross-sectional layers, and then 3D components are constructed by printing layer by layer. Due to its high forming accuracy, it has wide applications in molds, customized products, medical devices, prostheses, and other fields.

[0003] Generally, 3D-printed components are attached to a component platform. Most manufacturers manually remove the components after printing, but this method is slow and inefficient. Furthermore, the cured material needs replenishment or recycling after prolonged use, requiring manual monitoring and sometimes even machine shutdown, further impacting efficiency. Therefore, automating the component removal and feeding / recycling processes, and integrating these processes into a single 3D printing unit to improve efficiency, is a crucial technical challenge for those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the above-mentioned related technologies, the purpose of this application is to provide an integrated 3D printing device to solve the problem that the shovel operation and the feeding or recycling operation require manual supervision and need to be carried out separately from the printing operation, resulting in low printing efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above and other related objectives, this application provides an integrated 3D printing device, comprising: a support platform on which a Z-axis moving mechanism is disposed; a forming mechanism, including a material trough supported on the support platform, a component platform connected to the Z-axis moving mechanism, and an energy radiation device corresponding to the material trough for projecting energy toward a printing reference surface to form a cured layer, wherein the component platform moves layer by layer under the drive of the Z-axis moving mechanism to accumulate and attach the cured layer on its component surface to form a 3D component; a scraper mechanism disposed on the support platform for moving through the component surface after printing to peel off and receive the 3D component; and a material transfer system, including a feeding mechanism connected to the material trough for adding material to the material trough, and a receiving mechanism connected to the material trough for extracting material from the material trough when preparing to change material.

[0006] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the carrier platform includes a carrier table, the carrier table includes a printing area and a waiting area arranged along a first direction, the printing area is provided with a light-transmitting plate that carries the material trough and allows light from the energy radiation device to pass through, and the scraping mechanism is arranged in the waiting area to move from the waiting area to the printing area when printing is completed in order to perform scraping operations.

[0007] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the scraping mechanism includes: a scraping unit, including a scraper assembly and a scraper drive assembly connected to the scraper assembly, wherein the scraper drive assembly drives the scraper assembly to move from the printing area toward the waiting area and then passes through the surface of the component to peel off the 3D component; and a receiving unit, including a receiving assembly located below the scraper assembly and a receiving drive assembly connected to the receiving assembly; wherein the receiving drive assembly cooperates with the scraper drive assembly to drive the receiving assembly to move in a first direction to the printing area to receive the 3D component.

[0008] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the shovel drive assembly includes a first set of movable guide rails distributed along the first direction and located on both sides of the trough, and the shovel assembly includes a bracket connected to the first set of movable guide rails and a shovel mounted on the bracket such that the shovel assembly is positioned above the receiving assembly in a manner that spans across the receiving assembly.

[0009] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the receiving assembly includes a receiving hopper and a support portion connected to the receiving hopper. The support portion is also connected to the receiving drive assembly to drive the receiving hopper to move under the drive of the receiving drive assembly.

[0010] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the receiving assembly further includes a guide portion connected to the receiving hopper, the guide portion cooperating with the support portion to maintain the balance of the receiving hopper and guiding the receiving hopper to move in a first direction under the drive of the support portion.

[0011] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the receiving hopper is configured with an outlet facing the waiting area, and the shovel unit further includes a pusher assembly connected to the shovel assembly, the pusher assembly including a pusher plate extending into the receiving hopper to push the 3D component toward the outlet.

[0012] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the waiting area is provided with a drop-off port, and a collection mechanism is provided below the drop-off port to collect 3D components falling from the receiving assembly.

[0013] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, a guide mechanism is provided at the outlet, the guide mechanism being used to guide the 3D component to move from the outlet to the assembly mechanism.

[0014] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the receiving drive assembly includes a second set of moving guide rails disposed below the carrying platform and distributed on both sides of the dropping port along the first direction, and the support portion extends into the dropping port to connect with the second set of moving guide rails.

[0015] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the assembly mechanism includes an assembly basket and a filtering mechanism disposed in the assembly basket, the filtering mechanism being used to receive the fallen 3D components to filter residual material on the 3D components.

[0016] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the receiving assembly further includes a full-item detection mechanism for outputting a full-item signal when the assembly basket is loaded to a preset height.

[0017] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the receiving drive assembly is further configured to adjust the receiving assembly to move along a first direction to a position of its outlet relative to the drop outlet, so as to avoid the 3D component from partially accumulating in the assembly mechanism.

[0018] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the shovel mechanism further includes a shovel cleaning mechanism located at the end position of the waiting area, the shovel cleaning mechanism contacting the shovel assembly when the shovel assembly is driven to the end position to clean residual material on the shovel assembly.

[0019] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the scraper assembly further includes a cleaning member disposed above the scraper for contacting the surface of the component during scraper operation to clean residual material on the surface of the component.

[0020] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the feeding mechanism includes a storage tank and a feeding pipeline connecting the storage tank and the trough, wherein the material is fed from the storage tank to the trough via the feeding pipeline.

[0021] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the feeding mechanism further includes a feeding detection device for detecting the material level in the trough so as to feed material into the trough when the material level in the trough is lower than a lower threshold or to feed material into the trough when the material level in the trough has not reached an upper threshold.

[0022] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the feed pipeline is provided with a valve mechanism that controls the opening or closing of the feed pipeline, and the valve mechanism is configured as a butterfly valve.

[0023] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the storage tank is externally located within the 3D printing equipment.

[0024] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the receiving mechanism includes a recycling tank for receiving material extracted from the material tank, and a recycling pipeline connecting the recycling tank and the material tank, wherein the material is output from the material tank to the recycling tank via the recycling pipeline.

[0025] In some embodiments disclosed in this application, the material receiving mechanism further includes a weighing detection mechanism disposed below the recycling tank, which is used to detect the weight of the recycling tank and output a signal that the material recycling is completed when no weight change occurs within a preset time.

[0026] In summary, the integrated 3D printing equipment provided in this application achieves automated shoveling and receiving of 3D components by setting a shovel mechanism on the support platform for peeling off and receiving the 3D components after printing. This also integrates the shoveling and printing operations within the 3D printing equipment. Furthermore, by setting up a material transport system including a feeding mechanism and a receiving mechanism, automatic feeding or material recycling operations, shoveling operations, and printing operations are integrated within the 3D printing equipment, improving printing efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The specific features involved in this application are shown in the appended claims. The features and advantages of the invention can be better understood by referring to the exemplary embodiments and accompanying drawings described in detail below. A brief description of the drawings is as follows:

[0028] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a 3D printing device according to one embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 2 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the shovel mechanism in one embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the shovel assembly in one embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The images shown are schematic diagrams of the connector unit from different perspectives in one embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 6 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the receiving hopper in one embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figures 7 to 9 The images shown are schematic diagrams illustrating the flexible element disposed on the side wall of the receiving hopper in different embodiments of this application.

[0034] Figure 10 and Figure 11 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the assembly mechanism in different embodiments of this application.

[0035] Figure 12 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a 3D printing device from another perspective in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand the advantages and technical effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. In the following description, some embodiments may be referenced to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that other embodiments not shown in the drawings may also be used, and changes in specific structures, parts or mechanisms, components, and operations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. The following detailed description should not be considered limiting, and the scope of the embodiments of this application is limited only by the claims published in this application. The terminology used herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this application.

[0037] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, or third, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements or parameters in some embodiments, these elements or parameters should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element or parameter from another, and not to define the order, priority, or importance of multiple elements. For example, a first direction may be referred to as a second direction, and similarly, a second direction may be referred to as a first direction, without departing from the scope of the various described embodiments.

[0038] Furthermore, as used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It should be further understood that the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “including” indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, components, items, kinds, and / or groups, but do not exclude the presence, occurrence, or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, items, kinds, and / or groups. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices. Additionally, the term “and / or,” which may be used hereinafter, describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist; for example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Furthermore, the character “ / ”, unless otherwise specified, generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an “and / or” relationship. Additionally, in the description of embodiments of this application, “multiple” refers to two or more. Furthermore, the terms “or” and “and / or” as used herein are interpreted as inclusive, or mean either one or any combination thereof. Exceptions to this definition only arise when a combination of elements, functions, steps, or operations is inherently mutually exclusive in some way.

[0039] It should also be understood that when an element, such as a layer, region, or substrate, is referred to as being "on" another element or extending "on" another element, the element may be directly on or directly extending onto the other element, or intermediate elements may be present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" another element or "directly extending onto" another element, no intermediate elements are present. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "attached" to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or intermediate elements may be present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, no intermediate elements are present. Furthermore, the term "coupled" generally means physical, mechanical, magnetic, and / or electrical coupling or connection, and in the absence of specific contrasting language, the presence of intermediate elements between coupled or associated items is not excluded.

[0040] Relative terms such as “below,” “above,” “upper,” “lower,” “horizontal,” or “vertical” may be used herein to describe the relationship between one element, layer, or region and another element, layer, or region illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that these terms are intended to cover different device orientations other than those depicted in the figures. In this application, “vertical,” “horizontal,” and “parallel” are defined as including cases within ±10% of the standard definition. For example, vertical typically refers to an angle of 90° relative to a reference line, but in this application, vertical refers to cases including those within 80° to 100°. Unless otherwise expressly stated, comparative quantitative terms (such as “above” and “below”) are intended to cover the concept of equality. As an example, “above” can mean not only “greater than” in a mathematical sense but also “equal to.”

[0041] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application. When used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that, when used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and / or “comprising” designate the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0042] To clearly illustrate the positional relationships between the devices, components, structures, or mechanisms in the various embodiments of this application, a three-dimensional space defined by a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction is defined in the embodiments disclosed in this application. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are all straight lines and are perpendicular to each other. In some embodiments of this application, the length extension direction of the support platform in the 3D printing equipment is defined as the first direction (as shown in the figure). Figure 1 The direction of X in the figure is used to define the width extension direction of the bearing platform as the second direction (as shown in the figure). Figure 1 The vertical direction (or vertical, perpendicular, or up-down direction) of the Z-axis movement mechanism in a 3D printing device is defined as the third direction (as shown in the Y-direction). Figure 1 (The direction of Z in the equation).

[0043] In view of the technical problems mentioned in the background art, this application discloses an integrated 3D printing device. By setting a scraper mechanism on the support platform for peeling off and receiving the 3D component after printing, it achieves automated scraping and receiving of the 3D component, and simultaneously integrates the scraping operation with the printing operation within the 3D printing device. By setting a material transport system including a feeding mechanism and a receiving mechanism, it achieves automatic feeding or material recycling operations while integrating the feeding or recycling operation with the scraping and printing operations within the 3D printing device, thereby improving printing efficiency.

[0044] The 3D printing equipment described in this application can be configured, for example, as a top-exposure or bottom-exposure photopolymerization 3D printing equipment. Both use a component platform as the platform for printing 3D solid components, constructing 3D components through layer-by-layer printing. During printing, the curing material is first irradiated by an energy radiation device to form a first cured layer. This first cured layer adheres to the component platform. The component platform rises or falls a predetermined distance under the drive of a Z-axis drive mechanism. For example, in a bottom-exposure 3D printing equipment, the movement of the component platform causes the space between the component platform, the bottom of the material tank, and the first cured layer to be filled again with the curing material to be cured. The energy radiation device then irradiates again to obtain a second cured layer attached to the first cured layer. This process is repeated, with multiple filling, irradiation, and separation operations accumulating the cured layers on the component platform to obtain a 3D object.

[0045] For ease of description and understanding, the following embodiments use a bottom-exposure 3D printing device as an example for illustration, and should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0046] Please see Figure 1 The figure shows a schematic diagram of a 3D printing device in one embodiment of this application. As shown, the 3D printing device includes a support platform 1, a forming mechanism 2, and a scraper mechanism 3. A Z-axis drive mechanism 11 is provided on the support platform 1. The forming mechanism 2 includes a material tank 21 supported on the support platform 1, a component platform 22 connected to the Z-axis drive mechanism 11, and an energy radiation device corresponding to the material tank 21, which projects energy toward the printing reference surface to form a cured layer. The component platform 22 moves layer by layer under the drive of the Z-axis moving mechanism 11 to accumulate and attach the cured layer on its component surface to form a 3D component. For example, in a top-exposure 3D printing device, the energy radiation device is positioned at the top of the material tank 21. In a bottom-exposure 3D printing device, the energy radiation device is positioned at the bottom of the material tank 21.

[0047] In one embodiment, the material tank 21 is used to hold the curing material. In some embodiments, the curing material includes any liquid or powder material that is easily photocurable. Examples of liquid materials include photocurable resin liquids, or resin liquids mixed with additives, pigments, dyes, etc., and powder materials include, but are not limited to, ceramic powders, color additive powders, etc. In subsequent embodiments, the curing material will also be simply referred to as "material". The material of the material tank 21 includes, but is not limited to, glass, plastic, resin, etc. The capacity of the material tank 21 depends on the type of 3D printing equipment. For example, since the printing area (or radiation area) of an LCD-based 3D printing equipment is larger than that of a DLP-based 3D printing equipment, the capacity of the material tank 21 in an LCD-based printing equipment is larger than that in a DLP-based printing equipment. In some examples, the bottom of the material tank 21 is transparent to allow light from the energy radiation device to pass through the material tank 21 and cure the curing material. Figure 1 In the example shown, handles may be provided on opposite sides of the material tank 21 to facilitate disassembly of the material tank 21 by an operator gripping the handles. In some implementations, the material tank 21 is often referred to as a resin tank.

[0048] In embodiments where the 3D printing equipment is configured for bottom exposure, the component surface is the lower surface of the component platform 22, and will not be described in detail hereafter. Specifically, the component platform is exemplified as a component plate. The component platform typically starts from a preset printing reference surface located within the material tank 21, and accumulates each cured layer cured on the printing reference surface layer by layer to obtain the corresponding 3D component.

[0049] In one embodiment, the Z-axis drive mechanism 11 is used to controllably move along the vertical axis to adjust the distance between the component platform 22 and the printing reference surface and to fill the curing material to be cured. The printing reference surface refers to the starting surface from which the curing material is irradiated. To precisely control the irradiation energy of each curing layer, the Z-axis drive mechanism 11 needs to move the component platform 22 until the distance between the component platform and the printing reference surface is minimized, which is the thickness of the desired curing layer. For example, in an embodiment where the 3D printing equipment is a DLP device, the preset printing reference surface is typically located at the bottom surface of the material tank 21, or at a certain height from a preset position on the bottom surface.

[0050] In one embodiment, the energy radiating device is used to project light and irradiate the curing material within the material tank 21 to obtain a patterned curing layer. Specifically, the energy radiating device irradiates the curing material within the material tank according to layer images in the printing data generated from the cut 3D model of the pre-printed 3D component to obtain the 3D component. The energy radiating device can be specifically configured according to the type of 3D printing equipment. For example, in an example where the 3D printing equipment is an LCD device, the energy radiating device can be configured to include an LCD device, which includes an LCD screen located below the material tank 21 and a light source positioned directly below the LCD screen. In an example where the 3D printing equipment is a DLP device, the energy radiating device can be configured as a DLP device, which may include, for example, a DMD chip, a controller, and a storage module. In some implementation scenarios, the energy radiating device is also often referred to as an optical system or optomechanical system.

[0051] In one embodiment, the support platform 1 is used to set up and support the Z-axis drive mechanism 11, the forming mechanism 2, and the shovel mechanism 3. In one example, the support platform 1 includes a support table 12, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the support platform 12 includes a printing area 121 and a waiting area 122 arranged along a first direction (i.e., the X direction). The printing area 121 is the area on the support platform 12 where 3D printing operations are actually performed to construct 3D components; it can also be understood as the area in the 3D printing equipment where the forming mechanism 2 is located. The waiting area 122 refers to the area where the scraping mechanism 3 stops or is placed while waiting for the forming mechanism 2 to perform the scraping operation (or, as understood, waiting for the forming mechanism 2 to perform the 3D component forming process). In this way, the support platform 12 is divided into areas, which optimizes the layout of the forming mechanism 2 and the scraping mechanism 3 in the 3D printing equipment. When the printing area 121 is performing printing operations, the scraping mechanism 3 is located in the waiting area 122, away from the printing area 121. Once printing is complete, it moves to the printing area 122 to perform the scraping operation, thus ensuring that the printing and scraping operations are integrated into the 3D printing equipment while remaining independent of each other.

[0052] In one embodiment, the printing area 121 is equipped with a light-transmitting plate that supports the material tank 21 and allows light from the energy radiation device to pass through. In one example, the light-transmitting plate may be positioned between the energy radiation device and the material tank 21, and further disposed on the support platform 12, so that the light projected by the energy radiation device can be effectively transmitted to the curing material within the material tank 21. In some applications, the operator can manipulate the handle of the material tank 21 to place the material tank 21 onto the light-transmitting plate and align it with the component platform 22 for 3D printing. In some examples, the light-transmitting plate may be configured as, for example, a material with high light transmittance, high temperature resistance, and scratch resistance, such as acrylic, polycarbonate, and optical glass.

[0053] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the support platform 1 may further include a frame 10, which is located below the support platform 12 to support the support platform 12. The frame 10 may be made of rigid materials such as cast iron, alloy, or stainless steel to ensure mechanical strength. Furthermore, the bottom of the frame 10 may be equipped with a roller structure to facilitate the transfer of the 3D printing equipment, and may also be equipped with a positioning structure to position the 3D printing equipment when it is moved to the desired position.

[0054] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the scraping mechanism 3 is mounted on the support platform 1 and is used to move across the surface of the component after printing to peel off the 3D component. Further, the scraping mechanism 3 is configured in the waiting area 122 to move from the waiting area 122 to the printing area 121 upon completion of printing to perform the scraping operation. It should be noted here that... Figure 1 The shovel mechanism 3 shown in the 3D printing equipment is only an illustrative example. In some embodiments, the shovel mechanism 3 described in this application may also be used as a stand-alone shovel device or configured in other equipment such as a 3D printing post-processing device to perform shovel operations.

[0055] Please see Figure 2 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the shovel mechanism in one embodiment of this application. Figure 2 As shown, the scraping mechanism 3 includes a scraping unit 31 and a receiving unit 32. The scraping unit 31 is used to move from the waiting area 122 to the printing area 121 to peel off the 3D component when printing is completed. The receiving unit 32 may be arranged, for example, below the scraping unit 31 to receive the 3D component peeled off by the scraping unit 31.

[0056] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the shovel unit 31 includes a shovel assembly 311. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 and combined Figure 2 ,in, Figure 3 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the shovel assembly in one embodiment of the present application. As shown, the shovel assembly 311 includes a bracket 3111 and a shovel 3112 mounted on the bracket 3111.

[0057] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3As shown, the scraper 3112 is connected to the bracket 3111 via an elastic element 3113, which allows the scraper 3112 to tend to rotate downwards when subjected to pressure from the component platform 22 during scraping operations. It should be understood that the elastic element 3113 can adjust the force applied by the scraper 3112 towards the forming surface to transform the rigid contact between the scraper 3112 and the component surface into an elastic contact, thereby preventing mechanical damage to the scraper 3112 and the component surface. In some examples, the elastic element 3113 is configured as a compression spring, rubber, or torsion spring, etc., a resilient component.

[0058] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the shovel 3112 includes a shovel body 31121 and a cutting edge 31122. The shovel body 31121 and the cutting edge 31122 can be connected by a fixed connection method such as integral molding. The two ends of the shovel body 31121 are connected to the bracket 3111 through the elastic member 3113. Figure 3 In the example shown, the shovel body 31121 is in the second direction (e.g.) Figure 1 The width in the Y direction (as shown) is greater than the width of the blade 31122, and the blade 31122 is located in the middle of the scraper body 31121. In one example, to match the cutting direction of the scraper 3112 on the component surface, the blade 31122 faces the waiting area 122. In one example, to make the scraper 3112 fit snugly against the component surface for better scraping effect, the blade 31122 has an elevation angle, that is, the side of the blade 31122 facing the waiting area 122 is higher than other parts of the scraper 3112 or remains horizontal with other parts. Furthermore, by cooperating with the elastic member 3113, the elevation angle can be adjusted, so that the scraper 3112 fits snugly against the component surface more closely during cutting.

[0059] It should be understood that cured material will remain on the surface of the component after the scraping is completed, which will affect the next printing. Based on this, in one embodiment, such as Figure 3As shown, the scraper assembly 311 also includes a cleaning element 31120 disposed above the scraper 3112, used to contact the surface of the component during scraping operations to clean residual material on the component surface. Specifically, the cleaning element 31120 can be disposed on the scraper body 31121 to move on the component surface during scraping operations of the blade 31122, thereby scraping off the solidified material adhering to the component surface. To ensure its cleaning effect, the height of the cleaning element 31120 is not lower than the higher side of the blade 31122. In one example, the cleaning element 31120 can be configured as a silicone strip. Since the silicone strip is elastic, its height can be slightly higher than the higher side of the blade 31122. Of course, it can also be configured as other materials, and its height can also be flush with the higher side of the blade 31122, depending on the actual production needs.

[0060] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the shovel unit 31 also includes a shovel drive assembly 312, which is connected to the shovel assembly 311. During the movement of the shovel assembly 311 from the printing area 121 toward the waiting area 122, the shovel assembly 312 passes through the surface of the component to peel off the 3D component.

[0061] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the blade drive assembly 312 includes a first set of moving guide rails 3121 distributed along a first direction and located on both sides of the trough 21. Further, the first set of moving guide rails 3121 can be connected to the bracket 3111 of the blade assembly 311. In this example, the first set of moving guide rails 3121 is configured as two parallel rails located above the support platform 12.

[0062] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the blade drive assembly 312 also includes a blade drive motor 3122 and a blade drive belt 3123 parallel to the first set of moving guide rails 3121, and in a matching manner, as... Figure 3 As shown, each of the brackets 3111 has a movable slider 3124 at its bottom. The first set of movable guide rails 3121 and the first set of scraper drive belts 3123 extend from the printing area 121 of the support platform 12 to the waiting area 122 to allow the scraper assembly 311 to move across the entire support platform. Specifically, the first set of scraper drive belts 3123 is also associated with the output shaft of the scraper drive motor 3122. The movable slider 3124 is connected to both the movable guide rails 3121 and the scraper drive belts 3123. The scraper drive motor 3122 can drive the scraper drive belts 3123 to rotate, thereby causing the movable slider 3124 to move on the movable guide rails 3121, so that the scraper assembly 311 can move on the support platform 12.

[0063] For example, the scraper drive motor 3122 drives the first set of scraper drive belts 3123 to rotate forward, which in turn drives the movable slider 3124 to move from the waiting area 122 toward the printing area 121 on the first set of moving guide rails 3121. This, in turn, drives the scraper assembly 311 to move from the waiting area 122 toward the printing area 121 to perform the scraping operation. After scraping is completed, the scraper drive motor 3122 drives the first set of scraper drive belts 3123 to rotate in reverse, which in turn drives the movable slider 3124 to move from the printing area 121 toward the waiting area 122 on the first set of moving guide rails 3121. This, in turn, drives the scraper assembly 311 to move from the printing area 121 toward the waiting area 122 to avoid interfering with the next printing operation of the forming mechanism 2. Of course, the blade drive assembly 312 can also drive the blade assembly 311 to move in other ways. For example, in some other embodiments, the blade drive assembly 312 can be configured to include a blade drive motor and a blade drive screw. In this case, the blade assembly 311 is directly associated with the blade drive screw, and the movement of the blade assembly 311 is achieved by the blade drive motor driving the blade drive screw to rotate.

[0064] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 and combined Figure 1 ,in, Figure 4 and Figure 5 The following are schematic diagrams of the connector unit from different perspectives in one embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the receiving unit 32 includes a receiving assembly 321, which is located below the blade assembly 311. In one example, the blade assembly 311 is connected to a first set of moving guide rails 3121 via a bracket 3111, such that the blade assembly 311 is positioned above the receiving assembly 321 in a manner that spans across it.

[0065] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the receiving assembly 321 includes a receiving hopper 3211 for receiving 3D components. See also... Figure 6 The image shown is a schematic diagram of the receiving hopper in one embodiment of this application. Figure 6 As shown, the receiving hopper 3211 includes a bottom surface 32112 and a side wall 32113 extending upward along the bottom surface 32112. In this example, the bottom surface 32112 and the side wall 32113 together form a container for receiving the 3D component. In one example, the receiving hopper 3211 may be made of a rigid material such as stainless steel or an alloy to withstand the impact of the 3D component falling. In one example, the inner wall of the receiving hopper 3211 is configured to be smooth to prevent scratching with the surface of the 3D component.

[0066] It should be noted that in related technologies, when using a scraper to remove 3D components and allow them to fall into the receiving hopper, some 3D components may pop out of the hopper, causing surface damage. Therefore, if... Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the receiving hopper 3211 has a flexible member 32110 extending upward on its sidewall 32113 to prevent the 3D component from falling out. The flexible member 32110 can recover from the compression deformation generated during the movement of the shovel unit 31 relative to the receiving unit 32 to maintain its upward extension. In other words, the flexible member 32110 provides lateral constraint when the 3D component falls into the receiving hopper 3211 to prevent it from falling outside the hopper 3211, thus preventing damage or loss. Furthermore, due to its flexibility, the flexible member 32110 promptly recovers from the compression deformation generated during the movement of the shovel assembly 311 relative to the receiving hopper 3211 under the drive of the blade drive assembly 312, thus restoring its upward extension. Figure 4 The upward extension shown provides continuous lateral constraint for the 3D component.

[0067] The term "extending upward" refers to the direction in which the flexible component 32110 is positioned approximately upward when it is placed on the side wall 32113 of the receiving hopper 3211. That is, it can be vertically positioned on the side wall 32113, or it can be tilted at a certain angle relative to the side wall 32113 towards the inside or outside of the receiving hopper. The specific tilt angle can be determined according to actual needs, as long as it can prevent the 3D component from falling outside the receiving hopper 3211. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0068] Please see Figures 7 to 9 The diagram shows a flexible element disposed on the side wall of the receiving hopper in different embodiments of this application. In one embodiment, as shown... Figure 7 As shown, the flexible member 32110 extends vertically upward along the side wall 32113 of the receiving hopper 3211. In one embodiment, as... Figure 8 As shown, the flexible member 32110 is inclined towards the inner side of the receiving hopper 3211. In one embodiment, as... Figure 9 As shown, the flexible member 32110 is inclined towards the outer side of the receiving hopper 3211. The above embodiments are only illustrative examples of the receiving hopper 3211 being configured as a U-shaped groove, and should not be construed as limiting the present application. For example, in other embodiments, the receiving hopper 3211 may also be configured as a conical groove.

[0069] In one example, the flexible element 32110 may be fixed to the side wall of the receiving hopper 3211, for example, by embedding or bonding. In one example, the flexible element 32110 is configured as a brush; of course, it may also be made of soft materials such as rubber, silicone, or polyurethane, as long as it can prevent the 3D component from falling out while promptly restoring its extended upward state as the shovel assembly 311 moves.

[0070] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the receiving hopper 3211 is equipped with a dispensing port 32111 facing the waiting area 122, as... Figure 3 As shown, the blade unit 31 also includes a pusher assembly 313 connected to the blade assembly 311. The pusher assembly 313 includes a pusher plate 3131 extending into the receiving hopper 3211 to push the 3D component toward the outlet 32111. In one example, the outlet 32111 is naturally formed by the receiving hopper 3211 at one end facing the waiting area 122 without any obstruction structure. In one example, the pusher assembly 313 is fixedly connected to the blade body 31121, and its two ends can contact the inner wall of the receiving hopper 3211, such that the gap between the pusher plate 3131 and the receiving hopper 3211 is small to prevent leakage when pushing the 3D component.

[0071] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the waiting area 122 is equipped with the aforementioned drop-off port 1221, as... Figure 1 As shown, a collection mechanism 12211 is provided below the drop outlet 1221 to collect 3D components falling from the receiving assembly 321. In one example, the drop outlet 1221 is configured as a rectangular opening located below the receiving hopper 3211. Specifically, after the 3D component is scooped out and falls into the receiving hopper 3211, the shovel drive assembly 312 drives the shovel assembly 311, which in turn drives the push plate 3131 to move towards the waiting area 122, thereby pushing the 3D component in the receiving hopper 3211 towards the outlet 3211, and then it falls into the collection mechanism 12211 below the drop outlet 1221.

[0072] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a guide mechanism 1222 is provided at the outlet 32111. The guide mechanism 1222 is used to guide the 3D component from the outlet 32111 to the assembly mechanism 12211. In one example, the guide mechanism 1222 can be configured as a guide plate. Further, the guide plate can be configured to extend from the bottom surface of the receiving hopper 3211 toward the drop outlet 1221, or it can be configured as a plate installed at the outlet 32111 to guide the 3D component from the outlet 32111 to the assembly mechanism 12211.

[0073] In one embodiment, the assembly mechanism 12211 includes an assembly basket 12212 and a filter mechanism 12213 disposed in the assembly basket 12212, the filter mechanism 12213 being used to receive fallen 3D components to filter residual material on the 3D components. See also... Figure 10 and Figure 11 The image shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the assembly mechanism in different embodiments of this application. Figure 10 In the example shown, the filtration mechanism 12213 is configured as a filter plate disposed within the collection basket 12212, having multiple holes to allow the residual material to enter the area below the filter plate through the holes, thereby achieving the recovery of the residual material. Figure 11 In the example shown, the filter mechanism 12213 is configured as a frame disposed within the assembly basket 12212. The frame is nested within the assembly basket 12212 to receive falling 3D components, and its bottom has multiple filter holes that allow residual material to enter the area below the frame.

[0074] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the receiving assembly 321 also includes a full-item detection mechanism 3214, used to output a full-item signal when the collection basket 12212 is loaded to a preset height. In one implementation, the full-item detection mechanism 3214 can be electrically connected to a control device, outputting the full-item signal to the control device when the collection basket 12212 is loaded to the preset height, and the control device provides a warning message, such as an audible prompt, to remind the operator to replace the empty collection basket. In one example, the full-item detection mechanism 3214 can be configured as a height sensor and disposed on the top of the frame structure of the cleaning rack 1223 described later, outputting a full-item signal to the control device when the stacked 3D components in the collection basket 12212 reach the preset height. In some other examples, the full-item detection mechanism 3214 can be configured as a weight sensor, outputting a full-item signal to the control device when the weight of the collection basket 12212 reaches a certain preset weight value.

[0075] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the receiving unit 32 also includes a receiving drive component 322, which is connected to the receiving component 321 via a connecting component 3210. This drive component 322 works in conjunction with the scraper drive component 312 to drive the receiving component 321 to move in a first direction to the printing area 121 to receive the 3D component. In other words, the scraper component 311 and the receiving component 321 each have their own drive components, enabling relative movement between them. Specifically, the scraper component 311, driven by the scraper drive component 312, scrapes the 3D component off the component plane, and the receiving component 321, driven by the receiving drive component 322, receives the scraped 3D component. This improves the flexibility of the scraping operation. Furthermore, compared to related technologies where operators need to remove the component platform 22 for scraping, this embodiment achieves fully automatic scraping and receiving without human intervention, improving the efficiency of scraping and receiving 3D components.

[0076] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, the connecting assembly 3210 includes a support portion 3212 connected to the receiving hopper 3211. The support portion 3212 is also connected to the receiving drive assembly 322 to move the receiving hopper 3211 under the drive of the receiving drive assembly 322. In one example, the support portion 3212 is configured to be fixedly connected to a leg of the receiving hopper 3211 facing the waiting area 122.

[0077] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, the receiving drive assembly 322 includes a second set of moving guide rails 3221 disposed below the support platform 1 and distributed on both sides of the dropping port 1221 along the first direction. A support portion 3212 extends into the dropping port 1221 to connect with the second set of moving guide rails 3221. In one example, the second set of moving guide rails 3221 is disposed below the support platform 12 and is parallel to the first set of moving guide rails in the vertical direction. This ensures that the movement of the shovel assembly 311 and the receiving assembly 321 does not interfere with each other, while saving space on the support platform 12 in the second direction, thus reducing production costs.

[0078] In one embodiment, the receiving drive assembly 322 further includes a receiving drive motor 3222 and a receiving drive belt 3223 parallel to the second set of moving guide rails 3221. Correspondingly, the support portion 3212 extends into the dropping port 1221 and is fixedly connected to a movable slide plate. Specifically, the receiving drive belt 3223 is associated with the output shaft of the receiving drive motor 3222. The upper part of the movable slide plate is connected to the second set of moving guide rails 3221, and its lower part is connected to the receiving drive belt 3223, so that when the receiving drive motor 3222 drives the receiving drive belt 3223 to rotate, it can drive the movable slide plate to move on the second set of moving guide rails 3221, thereby driving the receiving hopper 3211 to move.

[0079] For example, the receiving drive motor 3222 drives the receiving drive belt 3223 to rotate forward, which can move the moving slide plate from the waiting area 122 towards the printing area 121 along the second set of moving guide rails 3221, thereby moving the receiving hopper 3211 towards the printing area 121 to receive the 3D component that has been removed. The receiving drive motor 3222 drives the receiving drive belt 3223 to rotate in reverse, which can move the moving slide plate from the printing area 121 towards the waiting area 122 along the second set of moving guide rails 3221, thereby moving the receiving hopper 3211 back to the waiting area 122. Of course, the connector drive assembly 322 can also drive the connector assembly 321 to move in other ways. For example, in some other implementations, the second set of moving guide rails 3221 may not be provided. Specifically, the connector drive assembly 322 can be configured as a connector drive motor and a connector drive screw. The connector assembly 321 is directly associated with the connector drive screw, and the connector drive motor drives the connector drive screw to rotate to realize the movement of the connector assembly 321.

[0080] It should be noted that the second set of moving guide rails 3221 and the receiving drive belt 3223 only need to extend within the waiting area 122. For example, when the support 3212 drives the receiving bucket 3211 to move from the right end to the left end of the waiting area 122 on the receiving moving guide rail 3221, the receiving bucket 3211 moves accordingly to the printing area 121. In this way, production costs can be further reduced.

[0081] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the connecting assembly 3210 also includes a guide portion 3213 connected to the receiving hopper 3211. The guide portion 3213 cooperates with the support portion 3212 to maintain the balance of the receiving hopper 3211 and guides the receiving hopper 3211 to move in a first direction under the drive of the support portion 3212. That is to say, the support portion 3212 is connected to the receiving drive assembly 322, thereby driving the movement of the receiving hopper 3211, while the guide portion 3213 relies on the support portion 3212 to achieve passive movement. At the same time, the guide portion 3213 can also maintain the balance of the receiving hopper 3211 and ensure that the receiving hopper 3211 moves linearly following the receiving moving guide rail 3221.

[0082] In one example, the guide portion 3213 is disposed on the side of the receiving hopper 3211 facing the printing area 121 and is configured as a set of "L"-shaped legs. Its upper end is fixedly connected to the receiving hopper 3211 by means such as screwing, welding, or integral molding, and its lower end is slidably connected to the upper surface of the support platform 12 via a driven wheel. Of course, the guide portion 3213 can also achieve passive movement on the upper or lower surface of the support platform 12 through other forms such as sliders and slide rails; this application does not limit this. In one example, the height of the guide portion 3213 is coordinated with the height of the support portion 3212 so that the receiving hopper 3211 is parallel to the support platform 12.

[0083] In one embodiment, the receiving drive assembly 322 is further used to adjust the position of the receiving assembly 321 relative to the drop outlet 1221 along a first direction to prevent the 3D components from locally accumulating within the collection mechanism 12211. In one implementation, the receiving drive assembly 322 is electrically connected to the control device, such that after the receiving assembly 321 receives the 3D component scraped off the component surface by the scraper assembly 311 in the printing area 121, it gradually moves towards the waiting area 122. During the movement to the drop outlet 1221, the 3D components in the receiving hopper 3211 fall evenly from one side of the drop outlet 1221 to the lower collection basket 12212, thereby achieving a uniform distribution of the 3D components within the collection mechanism.

[0084] It should be noted that when the scraper 3112 removes the 3D component from the component surface, it may leave behind cured material that could affect subsequent scraping operations. Therefore, in one embodiment, as... Figure 2 As shown, the shovel mechanism 3 also includes a shovel cleaning mechanism 1224 located at the end position of the waiting area 122. The shovel cleaning mechanism 1224 contacts the shovel assembly 311 when the shovel assembly 311 is driven to the end position to clean the residual material on the shovel assembly 311.

[0085] The endpoint refers to the endpoint reached by the shovel 3112 in the waiting area 122. Figure 1 As shown in the example, the side of the waiting area 122 away from the printing area 121 is set as the endpoint, that is, the endpoint is located on the right side of the waiting area 122. In one example, as the scraper drive assembly 312 drives the scraper 3112 and the push plate 3131 toward the endpoint, the 3D component can fall completely into the collection basket 12212. Afterward, the scraper drive assembly 312 drives the scraper 3112 to continue moving to contact the scraper cleaning mechanism 1224, thereby cleaning the cured material attached to the blade 31122.

[0086] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2As shown, a cleaning rack 1223 is configured at the endpoint for housing the scraper cleaning mechanism 1224. Figure 2 In the example shown, the cleaning frame 1223 is configured as an inverted "L"-shaped frame structure, and the scraper cleaning mechanism 1224 is arranged on the crossbeam of the frame structure along the second direction. In one example, the scraper cleaning mechanism 1224 may be configured as a brush structure with a certain hardness to ensure cleaning force, and the length of the brush structure in the second direction can completely cover the blade 31122 to ensure cleaning effect.

[0087] The following combination Figures 1 to 11 The scraping and joining process of the three pairs of 3D components of the scraping mechanism in this application is described in detail.

[0088] First, such as Figure 1 As shown, the scraping mechanism 3 is located in the waiting area 122 to await the completion of the printing operation. After the forming mechanism 2 prints the 3D component, the component platform 22 is raised to a height suitable for scraping by the Z-axis moving mechanism 11. Subsequently, the receiving drive assembly 322 drives the receiving assembly 321 to move from the waiting area 122 to the printing area 121 along the second set of moving guide rails 3221. The scraper drive assembly 312 drives the scraper assembly 311 to move along the first set of moving guide rails 3121 to the left side of the receiving hopper 3211 to await the scraping operation. Next, the scraper drive assembly 312 drives the blade 31122 to move on the surface of the component to scrape off the 3D component. During this process, the cleaning component 31120 on the scraper body 31121 cleans the cured material adhering to the surface of the component. Subsequently, the 3D components are scraped off and fall into the receiving hopper 3211. The receiving drive assembly 322 adjusts the receiving assembly 321 to move along the first direction to the position of its outlet 32111 relative to the drop outlet 1221, so that the 3D components in the receiving hopper 3211 are gradually pushed from the left side to the right side of the drop outlet 1221, thereby evenly distributing the 3D components in the collection basket 12212. When the collection basket 12212 is full, the full-load detection mechanism 3214 sends a full-load signal to notify the operator to replace the collection basket. Then, the scraper drive assembly 312 drives the scraper 3112 to continue moving to the end position of the waiting area 122, where it contacts the scraper cleaning mechanism 1224, thereby cleaning the residual material attached to the blade 31122. At this time, the scraping mechanism 3 returns to its original position. Figure 1 The waiting area 122 is used to wait for the completion of a new round of printing operations before the 3D components are re-jointed.

[0089] It should be understood that the curing material in the ink tank is gradually consumed during the printing process, or different curing materials may need to be replaced according to different printing needs. Therefore, timely feeding or material recycling is necessary to prevent printing interruptions. In related technologies, manual feeding or recycling leads to a waste of human resources and can sometimes cause printing interruptions due to untimely feeding or recycling, thus affecting printing efficiency. Therefore, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 12 and combined Figure 1 ,in, Figure 12 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a 3D printing device from another perspective in one embodiment of this application, as follows: Figure 1 and Figure 12 As shown, the 3D printing equipment disclosed in this application also includes a material transfer system 4, which is used to automatically feed or recycle material into the material tank 21.

[0090] In one embodiment, the material transfer system 4 includes a feeding mechanism 41 and a receiving mechanism 42. The feeding mechanism 41 is connected to the material trough 21 to add material to the trough 21, and the receiving mechanism 42 is connected to the material trough 21 to extract material from the trough 21 when material needs to be replaced. As mentioned above, the control device included in the 3D printing equipment can control the material transfer system 4 to perform feeding or material recycling operations. Specifically, the control device can control the feeding mechanism 41 and the receiving mechanism 42 to operate alternately to achieve feeding and material replacement respectively. For example, when the material in the trough 21 is insufficient, the control device controls the receiving mechanism 42 to close and the feeding mechanism 41 to operate to supply material in a timely manner. When material replacement is required after printing, the control device can control the feeding mechanism 41 to stop operating and start the receiving mechanism 42. After the material in the trough 21 is drained, the feeding mechanism 41 is restarted to add new cured material to the trough 21.

[0091] In one embodiment, such as Figure 12 As shown, the feeding mechanism 41 includes a storage tank 411 and a feeding pipeline 412. The feeding pipeline 412 connects the storage tank 411 and the trough 21. The material is fed from the storage tank 411 to the trough 21 through the feeding pipeline 412.

[0092] In one embodiment, the material storage tank 411 is externally mounted on the 3D printing equipment. In one example, the material storage tank 411 can be used to supply material to multiple 3D printing equipment. In this case, the control device included in each 3D printing equipment can individually control the material supply of the material storage tank 411, which saves production space and helps to achieve unified monitoring and management of the material supply operation, further improving printing efficiency. Of course, the material storage tank 411 can also be used for the material supply operation of only one 3D printing equipment, depending on the actual production needs.

[0093] In one example, the storage tank 411, serving as a container for storing cured material, can be made of opaque materials such as stainless steel or carbon steel, and has a discharge port connected to the supply pipeline 412. In one example, the storage tank 411 is equipped with an exhaust device to ensure pressure balance within the tank. In one example, the storage tank 411 is equipped with a stirrer to prevent sedimentation, clumping, or stratification of the cured material, thereby ensuring continuous supply. In one example, the storage tank 411 is equipped with a level detector to prompt the operator to replace the storage tank or add more cured material when the cured material level falls below a preset height. In one example, the storage tank 411 may have a built-in heating device or be connected to such a heating device to ensure the flowability of the cured material. The heating device may, for example, include a water tank, a heating wire for heating the water in the tank, and a spiral pipeline within the water tank for conveying the cured material. The cured material exchanges heat with the heated water as it passes through the spiral pipeline to achieve rapid and uniform heating.

[0094] In one embodiment, a delivery pump is provided on the feed line 412 to provide power for material delivery. The control device can start and stop the material delivery operation by controlling the opening and closing of the delivery pump. The delivery pump can be configured as, for example, an air pump, a gear pump, or a screw pump. In one embodiment, a valve mechanism is provided in the feed line 412 for controlled opening or closing. In one example, the valve mechanism is configured as a butterfly valve. It should be understood that the butterfly valve has low fluid resistance, which can reduce the influence of the viscosity of the cured material on the flowability of the cured material in the valve mechanism. In some other applications, the butterfly valve can be used to regulate the flow rate of the cured material flowing through the feed line 412. In one implementation, the control device can change the opening degree of the valve by controlling the rotation angle of the butterfly plate on the butterfly valve, thereby achieving precise flow control. For example, at the beginning of material delivery, the control device can control the butterfly plate to be parallel to the flow direction of the feed line 412, so that the material in the feed line 412 reaches the maximum flow rate. As the feeding process nears its end, the control device can gradually rotate the disc to be perpendicular to the flow direction of the feeding pipeline 412, thereby gradually reducing the flow rate of the material in the pipeline to zero. In some other examples, the valve mechanism may be configured as a ball valve or a solenoid valve.

[0095] In one embodiment, the feeding mechanism 41 further includes a feeding detection device for detecting the material level in the trough 21 to feed material into the trough 21 when the material level is below a lower threshold or when the material level in the trough 21 has not reached an upper threshold. The lower or upper threshold is a fixed value preset by the operator based on parameters such as trough capacity or material flowability. The feeding detection device may, for example, be configured within the trough 21 and associated with the control device and the butterfly valve to automate the feeding process. For instance, when the feeding detection device detects that the material level in the trough 21 is below the lower or upper threshold, it may output a signal to continue feeding to the control device, which then controls the butterfly valve to close the feeding line 412. In some examples, the feeding detection device may be configured as a capacitive sensor, a float sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor, etc. The feeding mechanism provided in this application achieves unattended operation of feeding through the coordinated action of control devices, feeding detection devices, and butterfly valves, thereby improving feeding efficiency.

[0096] In one embodiment, such as Figure 12 As shown, the material receiving mechanism 42 includes a recycling tank 421 and a recycling pipeline 422. The recycling tank 421 is used to receive the material extracted from the material tank 21, and the recycling pipeline 422 is used to connect the recycling tank 421 and the material tank 21. The material is output from the material tank 21 to the recycling tank 421 through the recycling pipeline 422.

[0097] In one embodiment, the recovery pipeline 422 is equipped with an extraction device, such as an air pump, to provide power for the output of material from the material trough 21 to the recovery tank 421. The control device can start and stop the material recovery operation by controlling the opening and closing of the extraction device. In another embodiment, the recovery pipeline 422 is equipped with a valve to regulate the flow rate of the material. The control device can be associated with the valve to achieve automatic regulation of the flow rate of the material in the pipeline. The valve includes, but is not limited to, butterfly valves, ball valves, or solenoid valves.

[0098] In one embodiment, the recovery tank 421 serves as a container for receiving material extracted from the material tank 21, and its capacity should be at least greater than the volume of the material in the material tank 21. Figure 12 In the example shown, the top of the recycling tank 421 has an opening into which the recycling pipe 422 extends, and the tank body is angled to facilitate material flow. Operators can subsequently filter or wash the material in the recycling tank 421 before reusing it for printing operations to reduce production costs.

[0099] In one embodiment, the material receiving mechanism 42 further includes a weighing detection mechanism 423, which is disposed below the recycling tank 421. The weighing detection mechanism 423 detects the weight of the recycling tank 421 and outputs a signal indicating that material recycling is complete when no weight change occurs within a preset time. Further, based on the signal indicating completion of recycling, the control device can, on the one hand, control the valve on the recycling pipeline 422 to close to stop material recycling, and on the other hand, provide a warning message, such as an audible prompt, to remind the operator to remove the recycling tank 421 to process the recycled material. In one example, the preset time is set to 5 seconds; that is, the weighing detection mechanism 423 determines that material recycling is complete and outputs a signal indicating completion of recycling to the control device when it detects that the weight of the recycling tank 421 has not changed within 5 seconds. In other embodiments, the aforementioned feeding detection device can be used to determine whether material recycling is complete. For example, when the feeding detection device detects that the material level in the trough 21 is zero, it can output a signal indicating that material recycling is complete to the control device. The material receiving mechanism provided in this application achieves unattended operation of material recycling through the coordinated action of the control device and the weighing and detection mechanism, thereby improving the efficiency of material recycling.

[0100] In one embodiment, the 3D printing equipment further includes a control device connected to the aforementioned energy radiation device, Z-axis drive mechanism 11, scraper mechanism 3, and material transfer system 4. The control device controls the energy radiation device 14 and Z-axis drive mechanism 13 during printing operations to attach a solidified layer of a deposited pattern onto the component platform 12 to obtain a corresponding three-dimensional object. It also controls the scraper mechanism 3 during scraper operations and the material transfer system 4 during material feeding or recycling operations. The control device is an electronic device containing a processor, such as a computer device, an embedded device, or an integrated circuit with a CPU.

[0101] For example, the control device includes a processing unit, a storage unit, and multiple interface units. Each interface unit is connected to an independently packaged device in the 3D printing equipment, such as an energy radiation device and a Z-axis drive mechanism, that transmits data via an interface. The control device also includes at least one of the following: a prompting device, a human-computer interaction device, etc. The interface unit determines its interface type according to the connected device, which includes, but is not limited to: a universal serial interface, a video interface, an industrial control interface, etc.

[0102] For example, the interface unit includes: a USB interface, an HDMI interface, and an RS232 interface. Multiple USB and RS232 interfaces are available. The USB interfaces can connect to human-machine interaction devices, etc. The RS232 interfaces connect to the detection device and the Z-axis drive mechanism. The HDMI interfaces connect to the energy radiation device (optical system). The storage unit is used to store the files required for 3D printing. These files include: program files and configuration files required for CPU operation, etc.

[0103] The storage unit includes non-volatile memory and a system bus. Examples of the non-volatile memory include solid-state drives (SSDs) or USB flash drives. The system bus connects the non-volatile memory to the CPU, wherein the CPU may be integrated into the storage unit or packaged separately from the storage unit and connected to the non-volatile memory via the system bus.

[0104] The processing unit includes at least one of the following: a CPU or a chip with an integrated CPU, a programmable logic device (FPGA), and a multi-core processor. The processing unit also includes memory, registers, and other storage devices for temporary data storage.

[0105] The processing unit is an industrial control unit that controls the sequential execution of each device. For example, during a printing operation, after controlling the Z-axis drive mechanism to move the component platform to a position a distance from the preset printing reference surface, the processing unit transmits a layered image to the energy radiation device. After the energy radiation device completes irradiation to pattern and cure the curing material, it controls the Z-axis drive mechanism to adjust and move the component platform to a new position a distance from the preset printing reference surface, repeating the above exposure process. During a scraping operation, the processing unit controls the scraping mechanism to move from the waiting area to the printing area to peel off and receive the 3D component attached to the component surface, and then moves it from the printing area to the waiting area to push the 3D component into the collection mechanism for collection. During material feeding or material recycling operations, the processing unit controls the material conveying system, allowing the feeding mechanism and the receiving mechanism to operate selectively.

[0106] In summary, the integrated 3D printing equipment disclosed in this application achieves automated shoveling and receiving of 3D components by setting a shovel mechanism on the support platform for peeling off and receiving the 3D components after printing. This also integrates the shoveling and printing operations within the 3D printing equipment. By setting a material transfer system including a feeding mechanism and a receiving mechanism, automatic feeding or material recycling operations, shoveling operations, and printing operations are integrated within the 3D printing equipment, improving printing efficiency. By setting an upwardly extending flexible component on the side wall of the receiving hopper, lateral constraints are provided when the 3D component falls into the receiving hopper to prevent it from falling outside the hopper. Furthermore, the upwardly extending flexible component restores the extrusion deformation generated by the shovel unit during movement, maintaining the upward extension and providing continuous lateral constraint to the 3D component, thus preventing damage or loss and ensuring product quality.

[0107] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the inventive essence and beneficial effects of this application, and are not intended to limit this application. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the principles and scope of this application. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations achieved by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in this application should still be covered by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. An integrated 3D printing device, characterized by The application relates to a 3D printing device, comprising: a bearing platform, on which a Z-axis moving mechanism is arranged; a forming mechanism, comprising a material tank arranged on the bearing platform, a component platform connected with the Z-axis moving mechanism, and an energy radiation device arranged corresponding to the material tank to project energy to form a solidified layer towards a printing reference surface, the component platform is moved layer by layer under the drive of the Z-axis moving mechanism to accumulate the solidified layer on the component surface to form a 3D component; a shoveling mechanism arranged on the bearing platform, used for moving through the component surface after printing to peel off and hold the 3D component; a material conveying system, comprising a feeding mechanism communicated with the material tank to feed the material tank, and a collecting mechanism communicated with the material tank to extract the material from the material tank when the material is ready to be replaced.

2. The 3D printing device of claim 1, wherein, The bearing platform comprises a bearing platform surface, the bearing platform surface comprises a printing area and a waiting area arranged along a first direction, the printing area is provided with a light-transmitting plate for bearing the material tank and allowing the light of the energy radiation device to pass through, and the shoveling mechanism is arranged in the waiting area to move from the waiting area to the printing area to perform the shoveling operation after printing is completed.

3. The 3D printing device of claim 2, wherein, The shoveling mechanism comprises: a shoveling unit, comprising a shovel assembly and a shovel drive assembly connected with the shovel assembly, the shovel drive assembly drives the shovel assembly to move through the component surface to peel off the 3D component from the printing area to the waiting area; a receiving unit, comprising a receiving assembly below the shovel assembly and a receiving drive assembly connected with the receiving assembly; wherein the receiving drive assembly is used for driving the receiving assembly to move to the printing area in the first direction to hold the 3D component in cooperation with the shovel drive assembly.

4. The 3D printing device of claim 3, wherein, The shovel drive assembly comprises a first group of moving guide rails distributed along the first direction and located on both sides of the material tank, the shovel assembly comprises a support connected with the first group of moving guide rails and a shovel arranged on the support, so that the shovel assembly is located above the receiving assembly in a manner of crossing the receiving assembly.

5. The 3D printing device of claim 3, wherein, The receiving assembly comprises a receiving bucket and a supporting part connected with the receiving bucket, the supporting part is also connected with the receiving drive assembly to drive the receiving bucket to move under the drive of the receiving drive assembly.

6. The 3D printing device of claim 5, wherein, The receiving assembly further comprises a guiding part connected with the receiving bucket, the guiding part maintains the balance of the receiving bucket in cooperation with the supporting part and guides the receiving bucket to move in the first direction under the drive of the supporting part.

7. The 3D printing device of claim 5, wherein, The receiving bucket is provided with a discharging port facing the waiting area, the shoveling unit further comprises a pushing assembly connected with the shovel assembly, the pushing assembly comprises a pushing plate extending into the receiving bucket to push the 3D component to move towards the discharging port.

8. The 3D printing device according to claim 2 or 7, characterized in that, The waiting area is provided with a falling port, below which a collecting mechanism is arranged to collect the 3D component falling from the receiving assembly.

9. The 3D printing device of claim 7, wherein, The discharging port is provided with a guiding mechanism for guiding the 3D component to move from the discharging port to the collecting mechanism.

10. The 3D printing device of claim 8, wherein, The connector driving assembly comprises a second set of moving rails arranged below the supporting platform and distributed along the first direction on both sides of the connector outlet, and the supporting part extends into the connector outlet to be connected with the second set of moving rails.

11. The 3D printing device of claim 8, wherein, The collecting mechanism comprises a collecting basket and a filtering mechanism arranged in the collecting basket, the filtering mechanism is used for receiving the dropped 3D components to filter the residual material on the 3D components.

12. The 3D printing device of claim 11, wherein, The connector assembly further comprises a full component detecting mechanism for outputting a full component signal when the collecting basket is loaded to a preset height.

13. The 3D printing device of claim 9, wherein, The connector driving assembly is further used for adjusting the position of the connector assembly along the first direction to the connector outlet relative to the connector outlet on the collecting mechanism to avoid local accumulation of the 3D components in the collecting mechanism.

14. The 3D printing device of claim 4, wherein, The shoveling mechanism further comprises a shoveling blade cleaning mechanism arranged at the end position of the waiting area, the shoveling blade cleaning mechanism is in contact with the shoveling blade assembly to clean the residual material on the shoveling blade assembly when the shoveling blade assembly is driven to the end position.

15. The 3D printing device of claim 4, wherein, The shoveling blade assembly further comprises a cleaning component arranged above the shoveling blade, the cleaning component is in contact with the component surface to clean the residual material on the component surface during the shoveling operation.

16. The 3D printing device of claim 1, wherein, The feeding mechanism comprises a storage tank and a feeding pipeline connected between the storage tank and the material tank, the material is input from the storage tank to the material tank through the feeding pipeline.

17. The 3D printing device of claim 16, wherein, The feeding mechanism further comprises a feeding detecting device for detecting the material level in the material tank to feed the material tank when the material level in the material tank is lower than a lower threshold or to feed the material tank when the material level in the material tank does not reach an upper threshold.

18. The 3D printing device of claim 17, wherein, A valve mechanism is arranged in the feeding pipeline to control the opening and closing of the feeding pipeline, the valve mechanism is a butterfly valve.

19. The 3D printing device of claim 16, wherein, The storage tank is arranged outside the 3D printing device.

20. The 3D printing device of claim 1, wherein, The material collecting mechanism comprises a recovery tank for receiving the material extracted from the material tank and a recovery pipeline connected between the recovery tank and the material tank, the material is output from the material tank to the recovery tank through the recovery pipeline.

21. The 3D printing device of claim 20, wherein, The material collecting mechanism further comprises a weighing detecting mechanism arranged below the recovery tank, the weighing detecting mechanism is used for detecting the weight of the recovery tank to output a signal indicating that the material recovery is completed when the weight of the recovery tank does not change within a preset time.

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