Printer assembly

Abstract

The utility model discloses a printer assembly, in a storage state, a printer body provides an abdicating space, and a part of an accessory box extends into the abdicating space, so that the printer body can accommodate at least a part of the structure of the accessory box, the overall occupied space volume is reduced, and then during transportation, the packaging volume can be reduced, and the transportation cost can be saved. And during storage, the storage occupied space is reduced. The main technical scheme of the utility model is that the printer assembly comprises a printer body; at least one accessory box; the state of the printer assembly comprises a storage state, in the storage state, the printer body comprises a receding space, and at least part of the structure of the accessory box is located in the receding space. The 3D printer is mainly used for 3D printing.

Description

A printer component Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and in particular to a printer component. Background Technology

[0002] The main body of a box-type printer consists of an outer frame and an actuator located within the frame that performs the printing process. The actuator primarily includes the printhead module at the top, which moves in the xy-plane under the action of a drive mechanism and a conveyor belt. The printing platform is located below the printhead module and moves along the z-axis driven by a lead screw motor. Because the printhead can move along the xy-axis, the printing space is maximized, making it suitable for printing large industrial models. The box-type printer also includes printing consumables, a consumable cartridge, a bracket, replacement parts, and other accessories.

[0003] When packaging, transporting, or storing existing box-type printers, the accessory box and the main body are usually independent of each other. If they are transported separately or fixed separately in the transport box, the space inside the main body frame is not fully utilized, resulting in a large space occupation and inconvenience for transportation and storage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, in order to solve at least one of the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention provides a printer assembly.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model mainly provides the following technical solutions:

[0006] This utility model provides a printer assembly, including:

[0007] Printer body;

[0008] At least one accessory box;

[0009] The printer assembly includes a stowed state, in which the printer body includes a clearance space, and at least a portion of the accessory box is located within the clearance space.

[0010] The printer body also includes at least one clearance opening. When in the retracted state, the clearance space is connected to the outside through the clearance opening, and at least a portion of the accessory box extends into the clearance space through the clearance opening.

[0011] The printer body includes a clearance state, and in the clearance state, the printer body includes clearance space.

[0012] When the printer components are in the retracted state, the printer body is in a vacant position.

[0013] The printer body includes a housing, a printing platform, and a print head. The housing includes a printing cavity, and the printing cavity includes a bottom wall with a clearance opening opposite to the bottom wall.

[0014] The printing platform and printhead are located in the printing cavity. In the clearance state, the printing platform is set close to the bottom wall, and the projection of the printhead on the plane where the clearance is located in the direction perpendicular to the clearance opening is close to the edge of the clearance opening, so as to form a clearance space in the printing cavity.

[0015] The printer body includes a housing, a printing platform, and a print head. The housing includes a printing cavity, the printing cavity includes a bottom wall, and a clearance opening is adjacent to the bottom wall.

[0016] The printing platform and printhead are located in the printing cavity. In the clearance state, the printing platform is set close to or away from the bottom wall, and the printhead is located on the side of the clearance space away from the clearance opening, so as to form a clearance space in the printing cavity.

[0017] In the storage state, the space is used to accommodate part of the accessory box structure, or the space is used to accommodate the entire accessory box structure; the accessory box is a consumable box, which is used to hold one or more consumable trays.

[0018] In the storage state, the printer body is connected to the accessory box to limit the position of the accessory box;

[0019] The connection methods between the accessory box and the printer body include at least one of the following: snap-fit, abutment, sliding connection, magnetic connection, plug-in, hanging, adhesive, clamping connection, and bolt connection.

[0020] The printer components also include:

[0021] When the support is in its stored state, at least part of the support structure is located in the clearance space. The support is connected to the printer body, and the accessory box is connected to the support to limit the movement of the accessory box.

[0022] The connection method between the support and the printer body includes at least one of the following: snap-fit, abutment, sliding connection, magnetic connection, plug-in, hanging, adhesive, clamping connection and bolt connection.

[0023] And / or, the connection method between the accessory box and the support includes at least one of the following: snap-fit, abutment, sliding connection, magnetic connection, plug-in, hook-up, adhesive, clamping connection and bolt connection.

[0024] The printer body includes a housing, the housing includes a printing cavity, the printing cavity includes a bottom wall, the support is connected to the bottom wall, and in the stored state, the accessory box is located on the side of the support opposite to the bottom wall; the space in the printing cavity includes a clearance space.

[0025] The printer body also includes a printing platform, which is located in the printing cavity. When in the retracted state, the printing platform is located between the bottom wall and the support.

[0026] The support includes a main body, which includes a top plate and a surrounding plate. The surrounding plate is connected to the top plate and extends to one side of the surrounding plate.

[0027] When folded up, the top plate is located between the printing platform and the accessory box, the side panel is located around the printing platform, and the side panel is connected to the bottom wall.

[0028] The printer body also includes a printing platform, which is located in the printing cavity. When in the retracted state, the printing platform is located between the bottom wall and the support, and the printing platform is connected to the bottom wall.

[0029] The support includes a support body and a limiting member. The limiting member is used to interact with the accessory box and limits the accessory box in at least one direction within the contact surface between the accessory box and the support body.

[0030] The limiting component includes a limiting plate. The bracket body is used to connect with the printer body. The limiting plate is connected to the bracket body and extends to one side of the bracket body. The limiting plate is used to connect to the periphery of the accessory box to limit the position of the accessory box.

[0031] And / or, the limiting component includes one of a limiting groove and a limiting head, and the accessory box includes the other of a limiting groove and a limiting head, the limiting head being inserted into the limiting groove to limit the accessory box.

[0032] The printer assembly also includes a cushioning pad, with one part of the support directly contacting the bottom wall; another part of the support is in contact with the cushioning pad, which in turn is in contact with the bottom wall; and adhesive is provided on the side of the cushioning pad facing the support.

[0033] The accessory box is used to hold at least one consumable tray;

[0034] And / or, the accessory box is used to house the power supply cable;

[0035] And / or, the accessory box is used to hold disassembly and assembly tools;

[0036] And / or, the accessory box is used to house the display screen;

[0037] And / or, the accessory box is used to hold replacement parts for the printer body.

[0038] The printer assembly also includes a usage state. In the usage state, the accessory box is located outside the printer body and is detached from the printer body.

[0039] Alternatively, the accessory box is connected to the printer body and is used to hold at least one consumable tray.

[0040] The printer assembly proposed in this utility model mainly achieves a printer body providing clearance space when in the storage state, allowing the accessory box to extend into the clearance space, thus realizing a structure in which the printer body accommodates at least part of the accessory box. This achieves overlapping of the occupied space, reducing the overall occupied space volume, thereby reducing the packaging volume and saving transportation costs during transportation, and reducing the storage space occupied when stored. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a printer assembly in a stowed state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a printer body in a yielding state according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0043] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a printer body and support provided in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0044] Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of a support provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0045] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the connection between a support and a printer body provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a printer body with an accessory box and support provided in an embodiment of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0047] To further illustrate the technical means and effects adopted by this utility model to achieve its intended purpose, the following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, provides a detailed explanation of the specific implementation methods, structure, features, and effects of the printer component proposed according to this utility model. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0048] On one hand, as shown in Figures 1-6, this embodiment of the present invention provides a printer assembly, including:

[0049] Printer body 100;

[0050] At least one accessory box 200;

[0051] The printer components can be in a stowed state, in which the printer body 100 includes a clearance space 101, and at least a portion of the accessory box 200 is located in the clearance space 101.

[0052] The printer body 100 includes a housing 110, which may have an approximately cubic outline and is a cavity structure including a printing chamber. The housing 110 can be a semi-enclosed structure, a fully enclosed structure that can be opened and closed, or simply a support frame, such as including a base plate, multiple upwardly extending support members connected to the base plate, and a top frame. The printing chamber of the housing 110 accommodates the printing execution device, and the printing process takes place within the printing chamber. The printing execution device mainly includes a printing platform 120, a printhead 130, and a drive mechanism for moving the printing platform 120 and the printhead 130. The printhead 130 is located above the printing platform 120. During printing, filament is introduced into the printhead 130 through an extrusion device. The drive device drives the printhead 130 to move in the XY plane and drives the printing platform 120 to move in the Y-axis direction, thereby achieving relative movement between the printhead 130 and the printing platform 120 in three dimensions. The printhead 130 extrudes filament according to the printing progress, achieving three-dimensional forming.

[0053] The storage state refers to the non-working state of the printer component, such as when it can be used for transportation or storage. The printer component also includes a usage state, which is the working state of the printer component. In the usage state, the printer component can perform 3D printing to print models. The printer component in the storage state occupies significantly less space than in the usage state, making it easier to store and reducing the difficulty of packaging and transportation.

[0054] In the stowed state, the printer body 100 has a clearance space 101, which is a portion of the printing cavity of the housing 110; that is, the space in the printing cavity includes the clearance space 101. The clearance space 101 is the space in the printing cavity that can accommodate at least a portion of the accessory box 200. The printer body 100 does not only have the clearance space 101 in the stowed state. For example, before the accessory box 200 is placed into the clearance space 101, the printer body 100 needs to provide the clearance space 101 to provide conditions for the accessory box 200. It can be defined as follows: the printer body 100 includes a clearance state; when the printer body 100 is in the clearance state, the printer body 100 includes the clearance space 101, and the clearance space 101 satisfies the requirement of accommodating at least a portion of the accessory box 200. When the printer assembly is in the stowed state, the printer body 100 is always in the clearance state; however, when the printer body 100 is in the clearance state, the accessory box 200 may not be located in the clearance space 101, that is, the printer assembly is not necessarily in the stowed state. During printing, the print platform 120 and print head 130 move within the printing cavity, affecting the spatial distribution within the cavity. Therefore, by adjusting the positions of the print platform 120 and print head 130, a clearance space 101 can be provided to accommodate the accessory box 200. To ensure that the clearance space 101 has the largest possible area, it is necessary to accommodate at least a portion of the accessory box 200. The print platform 120 and print head 130 can be moved to their extreme positions, as will be described later with more specific implementation details.

[0055] During the switching between the retracted and operational states of the printer assembly, the printing platform 120 and print head 130 are moved to provide clearance space 101 for the printer body 100, which then enters a clearance state. Next, the accessory box 200 is placed into the clearance space 101, and the printer assembly switches to the retracted state. The accessory box 200 can occupy part or all of the clearance space 101, thus reducing the combined volume occupied by the printer body 100 and the accessory box 200 through overlapping. When switching to the operational state, the accessory box 200 is removed from the clearance space 101, releasing its occupancy. Then, the printing platform 120 and print head 130 can be moved relative to each other as needed to achieve 3D printing. During printing, the printing platform 120, print head 130, and model occupy the clearance space 101 of the printer body 100, and the printer body 100 exits the clearance state.

[0056] The number of accessory boxes 200 can be one or more. When there are multiple accessory boxes 200, their placement can be based on their size and shape characteristics; they can be in contact with each other or separated. Similarly, the number of clearance spaces 101 can also be one or more. For example, if there is only one clearance space 101, multiple accessory boxes 200 can be located within the same clearance space 101. Alternatively, if there are multiple clearance spaces 101, such as two spaces, the two clearance spaces 101 can be located on different sides of the printing platform 120, and the multiple accessory boxes 200 can be distributed in different clearance spaces 101 as needed.

[0057] The accessory box 200 can be a consumables box, which can hold one or more consumable trays. It is understood that the accessory box 200 can also be a component with other functions, such as an auxiliary accessory like a bracket or bolts. It is understood that the accessory box 200 is a consumables box, used to hold one or more consumable trays; that is, when the printer assembly is printing a model, the consumable box is used to hold the consumable trays. During installation and transportation of the printer assembly, the consumable box may not contain consumable trays. It is understood that even if the accessory box 200 is a consumables box, it can still hold other components such as bolts, instructions, and cable ties during installation and transportation of the printer assembly.

[0058] The outer shell of the accessory box 200 can also be a shell used only for packaging and containment, serving only as packaging, i.e., providing containment space. Alternatively, the outer shell of the accessory box 200 can also be a functional component, which will be described in detail later with reference to more specific embodiments. In the storage state, by having at least a portion of the structure of the accessory box 200 located in the clearance space 101, space utilization is improved through partial overlap or inclusion of the occupied space.

[0059] The printer assembly proposed in this utility model mainly achieves a printer body providing clearance space when in the storage state, allowing the accessory box to extend into the clearance space, thus realizing a structure in which the printer body accommodates at least part of the accessory box. This achieves overlapping of the occupied space, reducing the overall occupied space volume, thereby reducing the packaging volume and saving transportation costs during transportation, and reducing the storage space occupied when stored.

[0060] In one embodiment, the printer body 100 further includes at least one clearance opening 102. In the stored state, the clearance space 101 is connected to the outside through the clearance opening 102, and at least a portion of the structure of the accessory box 200 extends into the clearance space 101 through the clearance opening 102.

[0061] The clearance opening 102 can be one or more openings in various locations on the housing 110 of the printer body 100. The clearance opening 102 can be open or closed only when the accessory box 200 needs to be retrieved or placed, and closed during transportation, storage, or printing. The opening area of ​​the clearance opening 102 must at least ensure that the accessory box 200 can pass through the clearance opening 102 and then extend into and out of the clearance space 101. Alternatively, in the stored state, the opening area of ​​the clearance opening 102 must be at least not less than the maximum cross-sectional area of ​​the accessory box 200 in the direction parallel to the clearance opening 102.

[0062] To facilitate a detailed description of the method of providing clearance space 101 and clearance opening 102 for the printer body 100 in the storage state, the following example illustrates the mechanism of the printer body 100. It can be understood that the printer body 100 is not limited to the following structure.

[0063] The drive mechanism of the printer body 100 includes a first guide component 140, which is the Z-axis guide component of the printer body 100. The first guide component 140 is located in the printing cavity and connected to the printing platform 120, and is used to drive the printing platform 120 to rise and fall in the vertical direction.

[0064] The printer body 100 also includes an XY guide assembly 150, which can be located in the printing cavity and is used to drive the print head 130 to move in the horizontal plane. As shown in Figure 2, the XY guide assembly 150 includes a second guide assembly 151 and a third guide assembly 152. The second guide assembly 151 is connected to the housing 110, and the third guide assembly 152 is connected to the second guide assembly 151 and the print head 130. The second guide assembly 151 includes a power component and a Y-axis guide frame extending in the Y-axis direction. The third guide assembly 152 includes an X-axis guide frame extending in the X-axis direction. The second guide assembly 151 is used to drive the print head 130 to move relative to the third guide assembly 152 in the X-axis direction and to drive the third guide assembly 152 to move relative to the Y-axis guide frame in the Y-axis direction, thereby realizing the movement of the print head 130 in the X and Y-axis directions. The second guide component 151 can be driven in various ways, such as using a corxy structure, which is known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0065] To provide more clearance 101 to accommodate the accessory box 200, the printer assembly in its stowed state, or the printer body 100 in its clearance state, can be configured as follows:

[0066] In one embodiment, the printing cavity of the housing 110 of the printer body 100 includes a bottom wall, and a clearance opening 102 is opposite to the bottom wall. The printing platform 120 and the print head 130 are located in the printing cavity. In the retracted state, the printing platform 120 is disposed close to the bottom wall, and the projection of the print head 130 onto the plane containing the clearance opening 102 in a direction perpendicular to the clearance opening 102 is close to the edge of the clearance opening 102, so as to form a clearance space 101 in the printing cavity.

[0067] As shown in Figure 2, the bottom wall is the surface of the bottom end of the printing cavity facing the printing cavity, and the clearance opening 102 is the top opening of the housing 110. As shown in Figure 6, the accessory box 200 is placed into the printing cavity from top to bottom through the clearance opening 102. The first guide component 140 drives the printing platform 120 to a position close to the bottom wall. "Close to the bottom wall" can mean that the distance between the printing platform 120 and the bottom wall is the minimum distance within the movable range of the printing platform 120, that is, the printing platform 120 is driven to move to the limit position close to the bottom wall in the Z-axis direction; or it can mean that the distance between the printing platform 120 and the bottom wall is less than a preset value, such as less than one-fifth of the total height of the printing cavity. In some embodiments, the printer body 100 includes a positioning detection element. When the printing platform 120 moves to a position close enough to the bottom wall, the printing platform 120 will trigger the positioning detection element to send a positioning signal. "The printing platform 120 is positioned close to the bottom wall" means that the printing platform 120 is driven to move close to the bottom wall until the positioning signal is received and then stops. This provides sufficient vertical space for the accessory box 200. The XY guide component 150 drives the print head 130 to move to the corresponding projection near the edge of the clearance opening 102, or in other words, drives the print head 130 to its extreme positions in the X and Y axes, thereby enabling the vertical movement of the accessory box 200 and providing sufficient space on the horizontal plane. The print head 130 can move to its extreme position at either end of the X-axis. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 3, if a flexible chain is provided that would obstruct the clearance opening 102 as the print head 130 moves, the print head 130 should be moved to the fixed end connection position of the flexible chain to prevent the chain from obstructing the clearance opening 102 and affecting the passage of the accessory box 200 through the clearance opening 102. The print head 130 can move only to its extreme position in the Y-axis direction, while remaining at any position in the X-axis direction.

[0068] In another embodiment, the printing cavity of the housing 110 of the printer body 100 includes a bottom wall, and a clearance opening 102 is adjacent to the bottom wall. The printing platform 120 and the print head 130 are located in the printing cavity. In the retracted state, the printing platform 120 is positioned close to or away from the bottom wall, and the print head 130 is located in the clearance space 101 on the side away from the clearance opening 102, so as to form the clearance space 101 in the printing cavity.

[0069] The bottom wall is the surface of the printing cavity facing the bottom of the printing cavity. The clearance opening 102 can be a top opening as described in the previous embodiments, or it can be a side opening, or an opening for picking up and placing models, or even a front opening facing the user during use. The accessory box 200 is placed into the printing cavity by moving horizontally through the clearance opening 102. "Close to the bottom wall" can mean that the distance between the driven printing platform 120 and the bottom wall is the minimum distance within the movable range of the printing platform 120, i.e., the driven printing platform 120 moves to its extreme position close to the bottom wall in the Z-axis direction; or it can mean that the distance between the driven printing platform 120 and the bottom wall is less than a preset value, such as less than one-fifth of the total height of the printing cavity. In some embodiments, the printer body 100 includes a minimum positioning detection element. When the printing platform 120 moves to a position sufficiently close to the bottom wall, the printing platform 120 will trigger the minimum positioning detection element to issue a first positioning signal. "The printing platform 120 is close to the bottom wall" means that the driven printing platform 120 moves close to the bottom wall until it stops upon receiving the first positioning signal. "Away from the bottom wall" can mean that the distance between the driven printing platform 120 and the bottom wall is the maximum distance within the movable range of the printing platform 120, that is, the driven printing platform 120 moves to the limit position away from the bottom wall in the Z-axis direction; or it can mean that the distance between the driven printing platform 120 and the bottom wall is greater than a preset value, such as greater than four-fifths of the total height of the printing cavity. In some embodiments, the printer body 100 includes a maximum positioning detection element. When the printing platform 120 moves to a position far enough away from the bottom wall, the printing platform 120 will trigger the maximum positioning detection element to issue a second positioning signal. "The printing platform 120 is set close to the bottom wall" means that the driven printing platform 120 moves close to the bottom wall until it stops after receiving the second positioning signal. This can provide sufficient vertical space for the accessory box 200. The XY guide assembly 150 drives the print head 130 to the side of the clearance space 101 away from the clearance opening 102. If the clearance opening 102 is an opening at the first end of the Y-axis as shown in Figure 3, then the print head 130 moves to the limit position at the second end of the Y-axis. If the clearance opening 102 is the opening at the first end of the X-axis, then the print head 130 moves to the extreme position at the second end of the X-axis.

[0070] The above embodiments can be used individually, with only a top opening or a side opening provided, or both can be provided simultaneously. In some embodiments, the print head 130 can be located in any position, with only the printing platform 120 moving to avoid obstruction.

[0071] In some embodiments, the printer assembly also includes a door 500, which is movably or detachably connected to the housing 110, thereby selectively opening or covering the clearance opening 102 to provide a more enclosed environment for the printing process, preventing external interference or reducing printing noise.

[0072] In the stowed state, the accessory box 200 overlaps with the upper part of the clearance space 101 to achieve more rational use of space. Depending on the design and weight control of the printer body 100, the printer body 100 may be relatively small, while the accessory box 200, if it needs to provide multiple consumable trays, may have a larger volume. Consequently, regardless of how the print platform 120 and print head 130 move to make room, the clearance space 101 may still not be able to accommodate the entire area of ​​the accessory box 200. Therefore, the clearance space 101 can accommodate part of the accessory box 200's structure. For example, part of the accessory box 200 extends into the clearance space 101 through the clearance opening 102 at the top, while the other part protrudes outside the printer body 100. In other embodiments, as shown in Figure 1, the clearance space 101 accommodates the entire structure of the accessory box 200. That is, the movement of the print platform 120 and print head 130 can provide a clearance space 101 at least equal to or larger than the volume of the accessory box 200, thereby greatly reducing space occupancy.

[0073] In one embodiment, when in the stored state, the printer body 100 is connected to the accessory box 200 to limit the accessory box 200, thereby preventing the accessory box 200 from moving relative to the printer body 100 and causing disturbance to the internal components of the printer body 100, resulting in inaccurate positioning, or collision causing damage. The connection method between the accessory box 200 and the printer body 100 includes at least one of the following connection methods: snap-fit, abutment, sliding connection, magnetic connection, plug-in, hook-fit, adhesive, clamping connection, and bolt connection. For example, the accessory box 200 may act on the inner wall of the housing 110 of the printer body 100 to limit it in at least one direction; or, the inner wall of the housing 110 may be provided with a magnetic element that cooperates with a magnetic element on the accessory box 200 to fix the accessory box 200; or, the accessory box 200 may be provided with a connecting hole, and the accessory box 200 may be fixed inside the housing 110 by bolts engaging with the screw holes of the housing 110.

[0074] Alternatively, in another embodiment, the accessory box 200 can be secured by an additional support, such as a support 300 in the printer assembly, wherein, in the stowed state, at least part of the support 300 is located in the clearance space 101, the support 300 is connected to the printer body 100, and the accessory box 200 is connected to the support 300 to limit the position of the accessory box 200.

[0075] As shown in Figure 3-6, the support 300 can be a rigid bracket or a flexible support body, such as foam, etc. The support 300 can be a single unit, for example, a bracket that secures and supports the accessory box 200 from its bottom. Alternatively, there can be multiple supports 300, for example, the accessory box 200 can be secured and supported from its perimeter.

[0076] The connection method between the support 300 and the printer body 100 includes at least one of the following connection structures: snap-fit, abutment, sliding connection, magnetic connection, plug-in, hanging, adhesive, clamping connection, and bolt connection. The connection method between the accessory box 200 and the support 300 includes at least one of the following connection structures: snap-fit, abutment, sliding connection, magnetic connection, plug-in, hanging, adhesive, clamping connection, and bolt connection.

[0077] In one embodiment, the support 300 can be multiple foams, and the support 300 has multiple receiving slots or cutouts. The shape of the receiving slots or cutouts is adapted to the internal contour of the printer body 100 in the recessed state, as well as the partial contour of the accessory box 200. This allows for positioning by embedding into the recessed space 101 and limiting the printer body 100, and by covering the accessory box 200. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the support 300 can be made of plastic, and can be bolted to the housing 110, such as to the bottom wall, side wall, and / or top frame of the printing cavity. The accessory box 200 is bolted to the support 300, thereby achieving fixation.

[0078] In one embodiment, the printer body 100 includes a housing 110, the housing 110 includes a printing cavity, the printing cavity includes a bottom wall, the support 300 is connected to the bottom wall, and in the stored state, the accessory box 200 is located on the side of the support 300 opposite to the bottom wall.

[0079] In this embodiment, the support 300 is supported by the bottom of the accessory box 200, and the weight of both the support 300 and the accessory box 200 is borne by the bottom wall, thereby reducing the load-bearing requirements and connection difficulty of the housing 110 (e.g., columns). When fixing the accessory box 200, it can be placed on the support 300 by gravity and then secured. However, in an embodiment where the support 300 is connected to the side wall of the housing 110 and the accessory box 200 is secured by its periphery, it may be necessary to hold the accessory box 200 suspended within the clearance space 101 for installation.

[0080] In the aforementioned printer body 100, a printing platform 120 is also included. In the embodiment where the printing platform 120 is close to the bottom wall in the stored state, the printing platform 120 is located between the bottom wall and the support 300. This provides protection for the printing platform 120 through the support 300, preventing the accessory box 200 from directly squeezing or colliding with the printing platform 120.

[0081] In a more specific embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the support 300 includes a support body, which includes a top plate 310 and a surrounding plate 320. The surrounding plate 320 is connected to the top plate 310 and extends to one side. In the stowed state, the top plate 310 is located between the printing platform 120 and the accessory box 200, and the surrounding plate 320 is located around the printing platform 120 and connected to the bottom wall.

[0082] The support 300, consisting of a surrounding plate 320 and a top plate 310, forms a support structure with accommodating space. It supports the printing platform 120, protecting it while simultaneously supporting and securing the accessory box 200 from below. The surrounding plate 320 can be located on only one side of the top plate 310 or the printing platform 120, or it can be located on multiple sides, such as around the entire circumference. As shown in Figure 4, connecting claws 321 with bolt holes can be provided on the surrounding plate 320, and screw holes can be provided on the bottom wall of the housing 110. The connecting claws 321 and screw holes can be arranged in four sets at intervals around the support 300. The support 300 is secured by bolts passing through the bolt holes and screwed onto the screw holes on the bottom wall. The accessory box 200 can also be secured to the support 300 using bolts, such as by bolting the accessory box 200 to the top plate 310.

[0083] In some implementations, when in the stowed state, the printing platform 120 is located between the bottom wall and the support 300. The printing platform 120 is connected to the bottom wall, thereby fixing the printing platform 120 and preventing it from falling out of position during transportation, which could lead to collision damage with the support 300 or the accessory box 200. The connection between the printing platform 120 and the bottom wall can be direct, such as by providing a connecting device on the printing platform 120. For example, the printing platform 120 may have connecting claws extending towards the bottom wall, with connecting holes on the claws. Bolts are then screwed onto the bottom wall through the connecting holes to fix the printing platform 120. Alternatively, the printing platform 120 can be indirectly connected to the bottom wall, ensuring that the printing platform 120 is stable relative to the bottom wall. For example, the printing platform 120 can be connected to a Z-axis slide rail via a slider, and the slider and slide rail can be connected by bolts to fix the printing platform 120. Alternatively, the slider of the printing platform 120 can be screwed to a lead screw, and the slider and lead screw can be connected by bolts to fix the printing platform 120.

[0084] In some embodiments, the support 300 includes a support body and a limiting member for interacting with the accessory box 200 and limiting the accessory box 200 in at least one direction within the contact surface between the accessory box 200 and the support body.

[0085] The support 300 supports the accessory box 200 from the bottom, thus limiting its position in the vertical direction. The limiting component can limit the accessory box 200 in the horizontal direction, thereby further limiting the accessory box 200 and facilitating the alignment of the accessory box 200 and the support 300 when they are connected, such as facilitating the alignment of screw holes and through holes.

[0086] The limiting member can take various forms. For example, in one embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the limiting member includes a limiting plate 330. The support body can be the aforementioned embodiment including a top plate 310 and a surrounding plate 320. The limiting plate 330 is connected to the top plate 310 of the support body and extends towards the side of the support body opposite to the surrounding plate 320. The limiting plate 330 is used to connect to, abut against, or surround at least a portion of the periphery of the accessory box 200 to limit the accessory box 200. As shown in Figure 1, after the accessory box 200 is placed in position, a portion of the bottom of the accessory box 200 is embedded between the limiting plates 330 and fits against them. The limiting plate 330 can be provided only on one side of the top plate 310, or on different sides of the top plate 310. For example, as shown in Figure 4, limiting plates 330 can be provided on all three adjacent sides, with each limiting plate 330 independent of the others. Alternatively, the limiting plate 330 can surround the entire circumference of the top plate 310.

[0087] In the embodiment where the accessory box 200 and the support 300 are threaded together, a bolt through hole can be made in the limiting plate 330, and a threaded hole can be made in the accessory box 200. The accessory box 200 can then be fixed by screwing a bolt through the bolt through hole into the threaded hole. In the stored state, the limiting plate 330 with the bolt through hole can be a relief opening 102 facing the side of the housing 110, which facilitates the screwing of the bolt.

[0088] In another embodiment, the limiting member includes one of a limiting groove 340 and a limiting head, and the accessory box 200 includes the other of a limiting groove 340 and a limiting head. The limiting head is used to insert into the limiting groove 340 to limit the accessory box 200.

[0089] For example, a limiting groove 340 is provided on the top plate 310 of the support 300, and the accessory box 200 is provided with a matching limiting head. After the accessory box 200 contacts the top plate 310, the position of the accessory box 200 is adjusted so that the limiting head is embedded in the limiting groove 340, thereby achieving the limiting of the accessory box 200 and facilitating the alignment when the accessory box 200 is fixed.

[0090] In one embodiment, the printer assembly further includes a cushioning pad, with a portion of the support 300 in direct contact with the bottom wall; a portion of the support 300 is in contact with the cushioning pad, which is also in contact with the bottom wall.

[0091] For example, the entire bottom edge of the support 300 may be connected to the bottom wall via cushioning pads, or only a portion of the support may have cushioning pads between it and the bottom wall. The cushioning pads are elastic, providing a buffering effect and thus reducing vibration in the accessory box 200, preventing damage caused by bumps during transportation. The cushioning pads can be made of various materials, such as rubber, foam, or bubble wrap. In some embodiments, adhesive is provided on the side of the cushioning pad facing the support 300, adhering the cushioning pad to the support 300. This prevents the cushioning pad from shifting or falling off during transportation, and also allows for easy installation and removal of the cushioning pad as a whole from the support 300, simplifying the process.

[0092] The accessory box 200 can serve multiple purposes and accommodate various components. In one embodiment, the accessory box 200 is used to hold at least one consumable tray. The accessory box 200 can be a disposable box such as a cardboard box, used solely for holding the consumable tray. Alternatively, the accessory box 200 can be used as a consumable container, serving not only to hold consumables but also to support the consumable tray, transport consumables, and provide consumable sensing functions. For example, the accessory box 200 may include a box body containing an extrusion mechanism, a consumable sensing element, and a consumable support element. The consumable tray is rotatably mounted on the consumable support element. In use, the consumables pass through the extrusion mechanism, are drawn out through an opening in the box body, and introduced into the printer body 100.

[0093] The accessory box 200 can also be used to house other mating parts that are not connected to the printer body 100 for transportation, such as power cables, disassembly and assembly tools, replacement parts for the display screen 400 and the printer body 100. There can be multiple accessory boxes 200, one of which is a consumables box, and another or more are used to house mating parts.

[0094] In one embodiment, the printer assembly also includes a usage state, in which the accessory box 200 is located outside the printer body 100. That is, the accessory box 200 is removed from the printer body 100. Depending on the type of accessory box 200, it can have different uses during printing. For example, if the accessory box 200 is merely a cardboard box for packaging mating parts, it can be separated from the printer body 100 for centralized storage and not participate in the printing process. Alternatively, the accessory box 200 can be used to hold at least one consumable tray. The accessory box 200 is a consumable box and can be connected to the printer body 100 according to the design. The accessory box 200 can be connected to the side or top of the printer body 100.

[0095] In embodiments including the support 300, when in use, the support 300 is located outside the printer body 100 and can be stored together with the accessory box 200 as needed, i.e., it does not participate in the printing process. Alternatively, it can serve as a support for the accessory box 200; for example, if the accessory box 200 is a consumable box, it can be supported and placed on the operating table by the support 300.

[0096] The following details the storage process of a printer component transitioning from a usage state to a storage state in one embodiment:

[0097] The printer body 100 includes a housing 110, a printing platform 120, and a printhead 130. The housing 110 includes a printing cavity, which includes a bottom wall at its lowest end. A first guide assembly 140 drives the printing platform 120 to move vertically, and an XY guide assembly 150 drives the printhead 130 to move horizontally. The first guide assembly 140, the printing platform 120, the XY guide assembly 150, and the printhead 130 are all located within the inner cavity. The housing 110 includes a clearance opening 102 at its top and clearance openings 102 on its side walls.

[0098] In use, the support 300 and accessory box 200 are located outside the printer body 100. When the printer body 100 needs to be stored and packaged, the printing platform 120 is moved to its limit position near the bottom wall by controlling the first guide component 140, and the print head 130 is moved to its limit position near a corner of the clearance opening 102 at the top by controlling the XY guide component 150, or in other words, the limit position on the X and Y axes, thus forming the state shown in Figure 2, thereby providing clearance space 101.

[0099] As shown in Figure 3, pick up the support 300 and extend it into the clearance space 101 through the clearance opening 102 at the top or the clearance opening 102 on the side wall, and set it above the printing platform 120. Fix the support 300 to the bottom wall with bolts, thus forming the state shown in Figure 5.

[0100] As shown in Figure 6, the accessory box 200 is picked up and inserted into the clearance space 101 through the clearance opening 102 at the top until the accessory box 200 is embedded in the limiting member of the support 300, such as between the limiting plates 330, and the limiting head is embedded in the limiting groove 340. The limiting plate 330 and the accessory box 200 are bolted together through the clearance opening 102 on the side wall, thus forming the storage state shown in Figure 1.

[0101] Then the door 500 can be closed for storage, packaging, and transportation. To switch the printer component from its stored state to its operational state, the above process is reversed; details will not be elaborated here.

[0102] This application also provides the following implementation methods:

[0103] Reference numeral 1. A printer assembly, comprising:

[0104] Printer body 100;

[0105] At least one accessory box 200;

[0106] The printer assembly includes a stowed state, in which the printer body 100 includes a clearance space 101, and at least a portion of the structure of the accessory box 200 is located in the clearance space 101.

[0107] Label 2, based on the printer component labeled 1, wherein,

[0108] The printer body 100 also includes at least one clearance port 102;

[0109] When stored, the clearance space 101 is connected to the outside through the clearance opening 102, and at least a portion of the structure of the accessory box 200 extends into the clearance space 101 through the clearance opening 102.

[0110] Label 3, based on the printer component labeled 1, wherein,

[0111] The printer body 100 includes a clearance state, and in the clearance state, the printer body 100 includes a clearance space 101.

[0112] When the printer components are in the retracted state, the printer body 100 is in the vacant state.

[0113] The printer body 100 includes a housing 110, a printing platform 120 and a print head 130. The housing 110 includes a printing cavity, which includes a bottom wall. The clearance opening 102 is a top opening on the housing 110 that is opposite to the bottom wall.

[0114] The printing platform 120 and the print head 130 are located in the printing cavity. In the clearance state, the printing platform 120 is set close to the bottom wall, and the print head 130 is projected on the plane where the clearance opening 102 is located in the direction perpendicular to the clearance opening 102, so as to form a clearance space 101 in the printing cavity.

[0115] The printer body 100 includes a housing 110, a printing platform 120 and a print head 130. The housing 110 includes a printing cavity, which includes a bottom wall. The clearance opening 102 is a side opening on the housing 110 adjacent to the bottom wall.

[0116] The printing platform 120 and the print head 130 are located in the printing cavity. In the clearance state, the printing platform 120 is positioned close to or away from the bottom wall, and the print head 130 is located on the side of the clearance space 101 away from the clearance opening 102, so as to form the clearance space 101 in the printing cavity.

[0117] Label 4, based on the printer component labeled 1, wherein,

[0118] When stored, the clearance space 101 accommodates part of the structure of the accessory box 200, or the clearance space 101 accommodates the entire structure of the accessory box 200; the accessory box 200 is a consumable box, which is used to accommodate one or more consumable trays.

[0119] When in storage mode, the printer body 100 is connected to the accessory box 200 to limit the accessory box 200;

[0120] The connection method between the accessory box 200 and the printer body 100 includes at least one of the following: snap-fit, abutment, sliding connection, magnetic connection, plug-in, hanging, adhesive, clamping connection and bolt connection.

[0121] Label 5, the printer component according to label 1, wherein the printer component further includes:

[0122] When the support 300 is in the storage state, at least part of the structure of the support 300 is located in the clearance space 101. The support 300 is connected to the printer body 100, and the accessory box 200 is connected to the support 300 to limit the position of the accessory box 200.

[0123] Label 6, based on the printer component labeled 5, wherein,

[0124] The connection method between the support 300 and the printer body 100 includes at least one of the following: snap-fit, abutment, sliding connection, magnetic connection, plug-in, hanging, adhesive, clamping connection and bolt connection;

[0125] And / or, the connection method between the accessory box 200 and the support 300 includes at least one of the following: snap-fit, abutment, sliding connection, magnetic connection, plug-in, hanging, adhesive, clamping connection and bolt connection.

[0126] Label 7, based on the printer component labeled 5, wherein,

[0127] The printer body 100 includes a housing 110, the housing 110 includes a printing cavity, the printing cavity includes a bottom wall, the support 300 is connected to the bottom wall, and in the storage state, the accessory box 200 is located on the side of the support 300 opposite to the bottom wall; the space in the printing cavity includes a clearance space 101.

[0128] Label 8, based on the printer component labeled 7, wherein,

[0129] The printer body 100 also includes a printing platform 120, which is located in the printing cavity. When in the retracted state, the printing platform 120 is located between the bottom wall and the support 300.

[0130] The support 300 includes a support body, which includes a top plate 310 and a surrounding plate 320. The surrounding plate 320 is connected to the top plate 310 and extends to one side of the surrounding plate 320.

[0131] When folded up, the top plate 310 is located between the printing platform 120 and the accessory box 200, and the side plate 320 is located around the printing platform 120 and is connected to the bottom wall.

[0132] Label 9, the printer component according to label 7, wherein,

[0133] The printer body 100 also includes a printing platform 120, which is located in the printing cavity. In the retracted state, the printing platform 120 is located between the bottom wall and the support 300, and the printing platform 120 is connected to the bottom wall.

[0134] Label 10, the printer component according to label 5, wherein,

[0135] The support 300 includes a support body and a limiting member, which interacts with the accessory box 200 and limits the accessory box 200 in at least one direction within the contact surface between the accessory box 200 and the support body.

[0136] The limiting component includes a limiting plate 330. The bracket body is used to connect with the printer body 100. The limiting plate 330 is connected to the bracket body and extends to one side of the bracket body. The limiting plate 330 is used to connect to the periphery of the accessory box 200 to limit the accessory box 200.

[0137] And / or, the limiting element includes one of a limiting groove 340 and a limiting head, and the accessory box 200 includes the other of a limiting groove 340 and a limiting head, the limiting head being inserted into the limiting groove 340 to limit the accessory box 200.

[0138] Reference numeral 11. The printer assembly according to reference numeral 7, wherein the printer assembly further includes a cushioning pad, a portion of the support 300 is in direct contact with the bottom wall; a portion of the support 300 is in contact with the cushioning pad, and the cushioning pad is also in contact with the bottom wall;

[0139] The cushioning pad has adhesive on the side facing the support 300.

[0140] Label 12, based on the printer component labeled 1, wherein,

[0141] Accessory box 200 is used to hold at least one consumable tray;

[0142] And / or, accessory box 200 is used to house power supply cables;

[0143] And / or, the accessory box 200 is used to hold disassembly and assembly tools;

[0144] And / or, accessory box 200 is used to accommodate display screen 400;

[0145] And / or, the accessory box 200 is used to hold replacement parts for the printer body 100;

[0146] The printer components also include a usage state, in which the accessory box 200 is located outside the printer body 100;

[0147] The accessory box 200 is separated from the printer body 100.

[0148] Alternatively, the accessory box 200 is connected to the printer body 100, and the accessory box 200 is used to hold at least one consumable tray.

[0149] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A printer assembly, characterized in that, include: A printer body; at least one accessory box; the printer assembly includes a stowed state, wherein, in the stowed state, the printer body includes a clearance space, and at least a portion of the accessory box is located within the clearance space.

2. The printer assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The printer body also includes at least one clearance opening; in the stored state, the clearance space is connected to the outside through the clearance opening, and at least a portion of the accessory box extends into the clearance space through the clearance opening.

3. The printer assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The printer body includes a clearance state, in which the printer body includes the clearance space; when the printer assembly is in the storage state, the printer body is in the clearance state; the printer body includes a housing, a printing platform and a print head, the housing includes a printing cavity, the printing cavity includes a bottom wall, and the clearance opening is a top opening on the housing opposite to the bottom wall; The printing platform and the print head are located in the printing cavity. In the clearance state, the printing platform is positioned close to the bottom wall, and the projection of the print head onto the plane of the clearance opening in the direction perpendicular to the clearance opening is close to the edge of the clearance opening, so as to form the clearance space in the printing cavity. The printer body includes a housing, a printing platform, and a print head. The housing includes a printing cavity, and the printing cavity includes a bottom wall. The clearance opening is a side opening on the housing adjacent to the bottom wall. The printing platform and the print head are located in the printing cavity. In the clearance state, the printing platform is positioned close to or away from the bottom wall, and the print head is located on the side of the clearance space away from the clearance opening, so as to form the clearance space in the printing cavity.

4. The printer assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the stored state, the clearance space accommodates part of the accessory box structure, or the clearance space accommodates the entire structure of the accessory box; the accessory box is a consumable box, which is used to accommodate one or more consumable trays; in the stored state, the printer body is connected to the accessory box to limit the position of the accessory box; the connection method between the accessory box and the printer body includes at least one of the following: snap-fit, abutment, sliding connection, magnetic connection, plug-in, hanging, adhesive, clamping connection, and bolt connection.

5. The printer assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The printer assembly further includes a support, wherein, in the stored state, at least a portion of the support is located in the clearance space, the support is connected to the printer body, and the accessory box is connected to the support to limit the position of the accessory box.

6. The printer assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The connection method between the support and the printer body includes at least one of the following: snap-fit, abutment, sliding connection, magnetic connection, plug-in, hanging, bonding, clamping connection, and bolt connection; and / or, the connection method between the accessory box and the support includes at least one of the following: snap-fit, abutment, sliding connection, magnetic connection, plug-in, hanging, bonding, clamping connection, and bolt connection.

7. The printer assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The printer body includes a housing, the housing includes a printing cavity, the printing cavity includes a bottom wall, the support is connected to the bottom wall, and in the stored state, the accessory box is located on the side of the support opposite to the bottom wall; The space in the printing cavity includes the clearance space.

8. The printer assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The printer body also includes a printing platform located in the printing cavity. In the retracted state, the printing platform is located between the bottom wall and the support. The support includes a bracket body, which includes a top plate and a side plate. The side plate is connected to the top plate and extends to one side of the side plate. In the retracted state, the top plate is located between the printing platform and the accessory box, and the side plate is located around the printing platform and is connected to the bottom wall.

9. The printer assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The printer body also includes a printing platform located in the printing cavity. In the retracted state, the printing platform is located between the bottom wall and the support, and the printing platform is connected to the bottom wall.

10. The printer assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The support includes a support body and a limiting member. The limiting member interacts with the accessory box and limits the accessory box in at least one direction within the contact surface between the accessory box and the support body. The limiting member includes a limiting plate. The support body is connected to the printer body. The limiting plate is connected to the support body and extends to one side of the support body. The limiting plate is connected to the periphery of the accessory box to limit its position. Alternatively, the limiting member includes one of a limiting groove and a limiting head. The accessory box includes the other of a limiting groove and a limiting head. The limiting head is inserted into the limiting groove to limit the accessory box.

11. The printer assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The printer assembly also includes a cushioning pad, with a portion of the support directly contacting the bottom wall; a portion of the support contacts the cushioning pad, and the cushioning pad also contacts the bottom wall; The cushioning pad has adhesive on the side facing the support.

12. The printer assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The accessory box is used to accommodate at least one consumable tray; and / or, the accessory box is used to accommodate a power cable; and / or, the accessory box is used to accommodate disassembly tools; and / or, the accessory box is used to accommodate a display screen; and / or, the accessory box is used to accommodate replacement parts for the printer body; the printer assembly also includes a usage state, in which the accessory box is located outside the printer body; the accessory box is separate from the printer body, or the accessory box is connected to the printer body, and the accessory box is used to accommodate at least one consumable tray.

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