Feeding mechanism and processing equipment

Abstract

The utility model discloses a feeding mechanism and machining equipment, the feeding mechanism comprises a supporting shaft, a wire material releasing part and a material disc / material roll, the wire material releasing part comprises a hollow material wire shaft, and the supporting shaft is rotatably sleeved with the wire material shaft; the material disc or the material roll is used for loading a wire material, and the material disc or the material roll is arranged on the material spool in a sleeving manner or supported by the material spool and rotationally connected with the material spool; the wire material releasing piece is provided with a wire material outlet, the wire material outlet is located on the radial periphery of the material disc or the material roll, and one end of the wire material extends out of the wire material outlet and extends to the 3D printing head. The wire material releasing part can adaptively rotate along with the movement position of the printing head, so that the wire material between the printing head and the wire material releasing part can be kept straight, and conveying of the wire material is facilitated.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 2025206330174, filed on April 3, 2025, entitled "Feeding Mechanism and Processing Equipment", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and more particularly to a feeding mechanism and processing equipment. Background Technology

[0003] 3D printing equipment can heat solid 3D printing filaments (such as TPU and foamed printing filaments) to form molten printing material, and then use a 3D print head to spray out the molten printing material to process and form a product.

[0004] In the current 3D printing equipment, the print head needs to move within the printing area during the product processing process. Sometimes the print head is far from the feeding mechanism, and sometimes it is close to the feeding mechanism. When the print head is in a far position or moves from a position far from the feeding mechanism to a position close to the feeding mechanism, the filament from the feeding mechanism to the print head is easily bent too much, which is not conducive to the delivery of the filament. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application provides a feeding mechanism and processing equipment, which helps to keep the filament between the print head and the feeding mechanism straight during the print head's movement.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a feeding mechanism, which includes:

[0007] Support shaft;

[0008] The wire release component includes a hollow wire shaft that is rotatably sleeved on the support shaft;

[0009] A tray or reel is used to load wire stock. The tray or reel is sleeved on or supported by the wire spool and is rotatably connected to the wire spool.

[0010] The filament release device is provided with a filament outlet, which is located on the radial outer periphery of the filament tray or filament roll. One end of the filament extends from the filament outlet and extends to the 3D printing head.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the wire release component further includes an elastic structure, one end of which is connected to a support shaft, and the other end of which is connected to the wire shaft.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the elastic structure includes a helical spring and a connector, the inner end of the helical spring being fixedly connected to the connector, the connector being connected to the support shaft, and the outer end of the helical spring being fixedly connected to the feed line shaft.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, a limiting groove is provided axially on the end face of one end of the support shaft, and the connector has a limiting protrusion that extends into the limiting groove to form a snap-fit ​​or threaded engagement.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the wire release device further includes a rocker arm, one end of which is connected to the wire spool, and the other end of which is provided with the wire outlet.

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the wire release component further includes a rocker arm and a rotating component, one end of the rocker arm being connected to the wire shaft, the other end of the rocker arm being hinged to the rotating component, and the wire outlet being located at the rotating component.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the wire release device includes a material box, the material box including a housing and the wire spool, the housing being connected to the wire spool and surrounding the wire spool, a sealed cavity being formed between the wire spool and the housing, the housing having the wire outlet communicating with the sealed cavity.

[0017] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the housing includes a first end plate, a second end plate, and an outer frame, the first end plate and the second end plate being spaced apart, the feed spool being disposed between the first end plate and the second end plate, the outer frame surrounding the feed spool, and the outer frame being connected between the first end plate and the second end plate.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the first end plate, the outer frame, and the feed spool are integrally formed, with the end of the outer frame away from the first end plate being sealed to the second end plate, and the end of the feed spool away from the first end plate being sealed to the second end plate.

[0019] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the outer frame has a protrusion that protrudes in a direction away from the wire axis, and the wire outlet is disposed on the outer wall of the protrusion away from the wire axis.

[0020] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the outer wall of the protrusion away from the wire shaft includes a first surface and a second surface connected together, the wire outlet is located on one of the first surface or the second surface, and the axis of the wire outlet is perpendicular to the surface on which it is located.

[0021] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the feeding mechanism further includes a feed tube, one end of which is connected to the filament outlet and the other end of which is used to connect to the 3D printing head, through which the filament passes.

[0022] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the tubing is made of polytetrafluoroethylene, and the wire material comprises one of thermoplastic polyurethane and foamed materials.

[0023] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the feeding mechanism further includes a drive member and a feed tube connector through which the wire passes, one end of the feed tube connector extending into the wire outlet and the other end of the feed tube connector being connected to the feed tube; the drive member is used to drive the feed tube connector to move or rotate relative to the wire release member to change the direction in which the feed tube connector feeds the wire.

[0024] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the feeding mechanism further includes a drive member and a feed tube connector through which the wire passes, one end of the feed tube connector extending into the wire outlet and the other end of the feed tube connector being connected to the feed tube, the drive member being used to drive the wire release member to rotate relative to the support shaft to change the direction in which the feed tube connector delivers the wire.

[0025] Secondly, this application provides a processing apparatus that includes a 3D printing head and a feeding mechanism as described in the first aspect.

[0026] In conjunction with the second aspect, in one possible implementation, the processing equipment further includes a frame, the 3D printing head is disposed within the area surrounded by the frame, the feeding mechanism is located above the frame, and in the vertical direction, the projection of the filament outlet is located at the center of the printing area of ​​the 3D printing head.

[0027] In this solution, during the feeding process of the feeding mechanism to the print head, the wire release component is rotatably sleeved on the support shaft through the wire shaft. The print head is connected to the wire release component through the wire. During the movement of the print head, the wire release component can rotate adaptively with the position of the print head, thereby keeping the wire between the print head and the wire release component straight, which is beneficial to the conveying of the wire. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a processing device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the feeding mechanism provided in one embodiment of this application, which is connected to the 3D printing head via a material tube;

[0030] Figure 3 A top view of a processing apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Another structural diagram of the processing equipment;

[0032] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Another structural schematic diagram of the processing equipment;

[0033] Figure 6 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the feeding mechanism when the wire release component is in its initial state, according to an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 7 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the feeding mechanism when the wire release component provided in an embodiment of this application is in a follow-up state;

[0035] Figure 8 A side view of the feeding mechanism provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 9 This is an exploded view of a feeding mechanism provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 10 A cross-sectional view of the connection between the wire release component and the support shaft provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 11 for Figure 1 Front view of the processing equipment;

[0039] Figure 12 An exploded view of a feeding mechanism provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a material tray provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 14 for Figure 1 Side view of the processing equipment.

[0042] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0043] 1000. Processing equipment; 100. Feeding mechanism; 100a. Wire release component; 100b. Elastic structure; 110b. Helical spring; 120b. Connector; 121b. Limiting protrusion; 130b. Swing rod; 140b. Rotating component; 110. Material box; 111. Outer shell; 111a. Wire outlet; 111b. First end plate; 111c. Second end plate; 111d. Outer frame; 111e, Protrusion; 111f, First surface; 111g, Second surface; 112, Wire spool; 113, Sealing cavity; 120, Material tray; 130, Material roll; 140, Material tube; 150, Bracket; 160, Support shaft; 161, Limiting groove; 162, Raised portion; 170, Drive component; 180, Material tube connector; 190, Wire; 200, 3D printing head; 300, Frame. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] 3D printing equipment can heat solid 3D printing filaments (such as TPU and foamed printing filaments) to form molten printing material, and then use a 3D print head to spray out the molten printing material to process and form a product.

[0046] During the 3D printing process, the print head moves along a set trajectory to print the product. Sometimes the print head is close to the feeding mechanism, and sometimes it is far away. When the print head is in a far position, or moves from a position far from the feeding mechanism to a position close to the feeding mechanism, the filament from the feeding mechanism to the print head is prone to excessive bending, which is not conducive to the filament delivery.

[0047] In view of this, this application provides a feeding mechanism and processing equipment; please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The feeding mechanism 100 can seal and store the wire material inside to prevent the wire material from getting damp.

[0048] For ease of understanding, the width direction of the processing equipment 1000 is defined as the X-axis direction, the depth direction of the processing equipment 1000 is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the height direction of the processing equipment 1000 is defined as the Z-axis direction.

[0049] The processing equipment 1000 includes a 3D printing head, a feeding mechanism 100, a heated bed, guide components, and a frame 300. The 3D printing head 200 heats the filament, causing it to transform from a solid state to a molten state. The 3D printing head 200 can spray the molten filament onto the heated bed to generate a product. The heated bed is located within the area enclosed by the frame 300, and the 3D printing head 200 is situated below it. The 3D printing head 200 is movable, and its movement along a set trajectory allows the ejected material to form a product with a preset shape / structure. During the printing process, the heated bed can move up and down. As the product gradually rises due to the ejection of filament by the 3D printing head 200, the heated bed gradually descends, ensuring that the nozzle height of the 3D printing head 200 always meets the processing requirements.

[0050] The processing equipment 1000 is a gantry structure. The guide is supported by two vertical columns along the Z-axis and can move up and down along the Z-axis. The 3D printing head can move along the guide in the Y-axis direction, and the processing platform moves in the X-axis direction. Optionally, the processing equipment 1000 can be a CoreXY structure, where the guide is supported by a frame 300 on the processing equipment 1000, and the 3D printing head can move along the guide in the XY plane under the drive of a belt. The processing platform is connected to a Z-axis lead screw to achieve movement in the Z-axis direction. For example, the guide can be at least one of a Y-axis linear guide, a carbon rod, and an X-axis optical axis. Optionally, the processing equipment 1000 can also be a cantilever structure, where the guide is supported by a Z-axis column and can move up and down along the Z-axis. The 3D printing head can move along the guide in the Y-axis direction, and the processing platform can move in the X-axis direction. The processing platform can also move in the Z-axis direction.

[0051] In the embodiments provided in this application, the 3D printing head 200 is positioned above a heated bed, and the 3D printing head 200 is movable relative to the heated bed, which can be the printing area of ​​the 3D printing head 200. For example, the 3D printing head 200 is slidably mounted on a guide member, and the 3D printing head 200 can slide along the guide member in the X-axis direction. In this case, the 3D printing head 200 moves relative to the heated bed in the X-axis direction. The guide member can drive the 3D printing head to move in the Y-axis direction, in which case the 3D printing head 200 moves relative to the heated bed in the Y-axis direction.

[0052] The guide can be connected to the frame 300, which surrounds the heated bed. The heated bed is connected to the frame 300 and can move up and down (in the Z-axis direction) relative to the frame 300.

[0053] In the embodiments provided in this application, during the printing process of the 3D printing head 200, the feeding mechanism 100 supplies filament to the 3D printing head 200. The feeding mechanism 100 is connected to the frame 300 and is located above the frame 300. Since the 3D printing head is located within the area enclosed by the frame 300, it is positioned below the feeding mechanism 100. The feeding mechanism 100 is connected to the 3D printing head via a feed tube 140. The filament stored in the feeding mechanism 100 passes through the feed tube 140 and is transported to the 3D printing head. The 3D printing head can convert the solid filament into a molten state and spray the molten filament onto a heated bed to form the processed product.

[0054] Please refer to the embodiments provided in this application. Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the vertical direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction), the projection of the feeding mechanism 100 is located at the center of the printing area of ​​the 3D print head. The heated bed includes the printing area of ​​the 3D print head.

[0055] Since the projection of the feeding mechanism 100 is located in the center of the printing area of ​​the 3D printing head, the feeding mechanism 100 can easily supply filament to the 3D printing head at various positions in the printing area. This allows the length of the feed tube 140 to be set shorter. When the 3D printing head works at a position closer to the feeding mechanism 100, the feed tube 140 can also be kept relatively straight, improving the smoothness of filament delivery in the feed tube 140 and preventing the filament from getting stuck in the feed tube 140.

[0056] Please see Figures 6-10 In some embodiments, the feeding mechanism 100 includes a support shaft 160, a wire release component 100a, a feed tray 120, and a feed tube 140. The wire release component 100a includes a hollow wire shaft 112, which is rotatably sleeved on the support shaft 160. The wire release component 100a is rotatable relative to the support shaft 160. The feed tray 120 is used to load wire 190, and the feed tray 120 is sleeved on or supported by the wire shaft 112 and rotatably connected to the wire shaft 112. Therefore, the feed tray 120 is rotatable relative to the wire shaft 112.

[0057] The filament release component 100a is provided with a filament outlet 111a, which is located on the radial outer periphery of the filament tray 120 or the filament roll 130. One end of the filament 190 extends from the filament outlet 111a, passes through the feed tube 140, and extends to the 3D printing head 200.

[0058] During the printing process, the 3D printing head 200 heats the filament 190 to make it melt and then ejects the molten filament 190. The material tray 120 can rotate relative to the filament shaft 112 and continuously release the filament 190.

[0059] As the 3D printing head 200 moves along the set trajectory, its distance from the material tray 120 varies, sometimes closer and sometimes farther. When the 3D printing head 200 is in a closer position, or moving from a position closer to the material tray 120 to a position farther away, the filament release component 100a rotates relative to the support shaft 160, pulled by the filament 190. This causes the filament outlet 111a to move closer to the 3D printing head 200, preventing the filament 190 from becoming too long between the 3D printing head 200 and the filament outlet 111a, thus promoting straight filament transport. It should be noted that if the filament 190 between the 3D printing head 200 and the filament outlet 111a is too long or the material tube is too curved, it will result in greater friction during filament transport, impairing the smoothness of filament transport. When the 3D printing head 200 is at a relatively far position, or during the process of moving from a position far from the material tray 120 to a position closer to the material tray 120, the 3D printing head 200, through the filament 190 or the feed tube 140 fitted on the filament 190, pushes the filament release component 100a to rotate. This allows the filament outlet 111a to move away from the position of the 3D printing head 200, making the filament 190 between the filament outlet 111a and the 3D printing head 200 straighter or reducing the curvature of the feed tube 140. It should be noted that if the distance between the 3D printing head 200 and the filament outlet 111a is too close, the filament 190 released from the material tray 120 will be excessively bent between the 3D printing head 200 and the filament outlet 111a, resulting in uneven transmission of the filament 190 from the filament outlet 111a to the 3D printing head 200. If the distance between the 3D printing head 200 and the filament outlet 111a is too far, the material tube / filament near the filament outlet 111a will be too bent, which will impair the smoothness of filament transmission.

[0060] In the embodiments provided in this application, a material roll 130 can be used instead of a material tray 120. The material roll 130 is used to load the wire material 190. The material roll 130 is sleeved on the wire shaft 112 and can rotate relative to the wire shaft 112.

[0061] In the embodiments provided in this application, the wire release member 100a further includes an elastic structure 100b, one end of which is connected to the support shaft 160, and the other end of which is connected to the wire spool 112. The elastic structure 100b can provide a restoring force for the rotation of the wire spool 112. The wire release member 100a has an initial state and a follow-up state. Please refer to... Figure 6 When the 3D printing head 200 is close to the material tray 120, the filament release component 100a can be in its initial state. When the 3D printing head 200 moves to a position farther from the material tray 120, it drags the filament release component 100a to rotate relative to the support shaft 160 via the filament 190 or the feed tube 140. At this time, the elastic structure 100b can store force and prepare to provide a restoring force for the rotation of the filament release component 100a. When the 3D printing head 200 is at a further position, the tension of the filament 190 and / or feed tube 140 between the 3D printing head 200 and the filament release component 100a can overcome the restoring force of the elastic structure 100b. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 7 After the filament release component 100a rotates relative to the support shaft 160, it can be in a follow-up state. During the process of the 3D printing head 200 moving from a position far from the material tray 120 to a position close to the material tray 120, the filament 190 and / or material tube 140 between the 3D printing head 200 and the filament release component 100a changes from a taut state to a relaxed state. The tension of the filament 190 and / or material tube 140 between the 3D printing head 200 and the filament release component 100a decreases and can no longer overcome the restoring force of the elastic structure 100b. At this time, the restoring force of the elastic structure 100b can make the filament release component 100a return to its initial state.

[0062] In the embodiments provided in this application, to facilitate smoother switching between the initial state and the follow-up state of the wire release component 100a, the elastic structure 100b includes a helical spring 110b and a connecting member 120b. The inner end of the helical spring 110b is fixedly connected to the connecting member 120b, the connecting member 120b is connected to the support shaft 160, and the outer end of the helical spring 110b is fixedly connected to the wire spool 112. When the elastic structure 100b is charged, it can provide a circumferential restoring force to the wire release component 100a, facilitating the rotation or turning of the wire release component 100a.

[0063] In the embodiments provided in this application, a limiting groove 161 is provided axially on the end face of one end of the support shaft 160, and the connector 120b has a limiting protrusion 121b. The limiting protrusion 121b extends into the limiting groove 161 to form a snap-fit ​​or engagement. For example, the connector 120b can be threadedly connected to the support shaft 160. Specifically, while one end of the elastic structure 100b is fixedly connected to the support shaft 160, the other end of the elastic structure 100b is also fixedly connected to the wire shaft 112. When the wire shaft 112 rotates relative to the support shaft 160, the elastic structure 100b can undergo elastic deformation to store force, thereby providing a restoring force for the wire release component 100a.

[0064] In the embodiment provided in the application, the filament release device 100a further includes a rocker arm 130b, one end of which is connected to the filament spool 112, and the other end of which is provided with a filament outlet 111a. The filament 190 extends from the filament outlet 111a to the 3D printing head 200. When the 3D printing head 200 moves from a position closer to the material tray 120 to a position farther from the material tray 120, the 3D printing head 200 pulls the rocker arm 130b to swing through the filament 190 and / or the material tube 140, and the rocker arm 130b drives the filament spool 112 to rotate.

[0065] In the embodiments provided in this application, the wire release device 100a further includes a rocker arm 130b and a rotating member 140b. One end of the rocker arm 130b is connected to the wire shaft 112, and the other end of the rocker arm 130b is hinged to the rotating member 140b. The wire outlet 111a is located on the rotating member 140b. Since the rotating member 140b is hinged to the rocker arm 130b, the rotating member 140b can rotate relative to the rocker arm 130b. It can be understood that by rotating the rotating member 140b relative to the rocker arm 130b, the direction in which the wire outlet 111a releases the wire 190 can be adjusted.

[0066] In the embodiments provided in this application, the filament outlet 111a is provided with a material tube connector 180, which is connected to the 3D printing head through the material tube 140. The filament extends from the filament outlet 111a and extends into the 3D printing head, and the filament passes through the material tube connector 180 and the material tube 140. The material tube can be used to protect the filament.

[0067] In the embodiments provided in this application, the support shaft 160 is further provided with a raised portion 162, which is used to limit the rotation angle range of the wire shaft and prevent the wire shaft from rotating excessively and damaging the elastic structure.

[0068] In some embodiments, see Figure 11 , Figure 12 and Figure 13The wire release device 100a may include a material box 110, in which a material tray 120 is housed and used to load wire 190. The material box 110 includes a housing 111 and a wire spool 112. The housing 111 surrounds the wire spool 112 and forms a sealed cavity 113 with the wire spool 112. The housing 111 has a wire outlet 111a that communicates with the sealed cavity 113.

[0069] It should be noted that the filament tray 120 is housed in the sealed cavity 113, and the filament tray 120 is sleeved on or supported by the filament shaft 112, and rotatably connected to the filament shaft 112; one end of the filament 190 extends from the filament outlet 111a and extends to the 3D printing head 200. It should be noted that when the feeding mechanism 100 supplies filament 190 to the 3D printing head, the filament tray rotates relative to the filament shaft 112 to release the filament 190. When the feeding mechanism 100 retracts the filament 190, the filament tray can rotate to retract the filament 190. The rotation direction of the filament tray releasing the filament 190 is opposite to the rotation direction of the filament tray retracting the filament 190.

[0070] The feed tray 120 includes a sleeve, a first limiting plate, and a second limiting plate. The first limiting plate and the second limiting plate are spaced apart along the axial direction of the sleeve, which can be the X-axis direction. The sleeve is connected between the first limiting plate and the second limiting plate and is used to wind the wire 190. The first limiting plate and the second limiting plate can limit the wire 190, preventing the wound wire 190 from becoming scattered and improving the stability of the feed tray 120 when releasing the wire 190.

[0071] In some embodiments, a material roll 130 can be used instead of a material tray 120, and the material roll 130 is sleeved on the material thread shaft 112 and rotatably connected to the material thread shaft 112.

[0072] In the embodiments provided in this application, one end of the feed tube 140 is connected to the filament outlet 111a, and the other end of the feed tube 140 is connected to the 3D printing head 200. The feed tube 140 supplies filament 190 through it. During the process of the feeding mechanism 100 supplying filament 190 to the 3D printing head 200, the filament 190 originates from the sealed cavity 113 and passes through the feed tube 140 to reach the 3D printing head 200. The filament 190 is not directly exposed to air, effectively preventing it from getting damp. If the unsealed filament 190 is not used up during a single use, it can be stored in the material box 110, where the sealed cavity 113 effectively prevents it from getting damp.

[0073] Please refer to the embodiments provided in this application. Figure 12 and Figure 14The feeding mechanism 100 includes a bracket 150 and a support shaft 160. The bracket 150 is connected to the support shaft 160. The material box 110 is sleeved on the support shaft 160 and can rotate relative to the support shaft 160. Specifically, the feed spool 112 is sleeved on the support shaft 160 and can rotate relative to the support shaft 160, so that the entire material box 110 can rotate relative to the support shaft 160.

[0074] When printing a product, the 3D printing head 200 needs to move according to a set trajectory to print a product with a preset structure / shape. The cassette 110 and the 3D printing head 200 are connected via a feed tube 140. During the movement of the 3D printing head 200 according to the set trajectory, the 3D printing head 200 is sometimes closer to the cassette 110 and sometimes farther away. Since the length of the feed tube 140 between the cassette 110 and the 3D printing head 200 is fixed, the length of the feed tube 140 needs to allow the 3D printing head 200 to move to a position farther away from the cassette 110. When the 3D printing head 200 moves to a position closer to the cassette 110, in order to keep the feed tube 140 relatively straight, the cassette 110 can be rotated so that the filament outlet 111a on the cassette 110 moves away from the 3D printing head 200, thereby allowing the feed tube 140 to remain straight. When the 3D printing head 200 moves to a position far from the material container 110, the material container 110 can be rotated so that the filament outlet 111a on the material container 110 moves closer to the 3D printing head 200, ensuring that the length of the material tube 140 meets the movement requirements of the 3D printing head 200. It should be noted that during the movement of the 3D printing head 200, the material tube 140 can remain straight, resulting in less friction when conveying the filament 190. This ensures smoother filament delivery, and the material tube 140 is less likely to jam the filament 190 during product printing.

[0075] In the embodiments provided in this application, the feeding mechanism 100 further includes a feed pipe connector 180, one end of which extends into the wire outlet 111a, and the other end protrudes from the outer wall of the housing 111. The other end of the feed pipe connector 180 is connected to the feed pipe 140.

[0076] One end of the wire 190 in the material box 110 extends from the material tube connector 180 into the material tube 140 and extends through the material tube 140 into the 3D printing head 200.

[0077] In some embodiments, the material container 110 can be passively rotated to accommodate the movement of the 3D printing head 200. For example, when the 3D printing head 200 moves from a position closer to the material container 110 to a position farther from it, the 3D printing head 200 pulls the material container 110 to rotate via the material tube 140, causing the material tube connector 180 on the material container 110 to face the position of the 3D printing head 200, thus moving the material tube connector 180 closer to the 3D printing head 200. When the 3D printing head 200 moves from a position farther from the material container 110 to a position closer to it, the 3D printing head 200 pushes the material container 110 to rotate via the material tube 140, causing the material container 110 to rotate and move the material tube connector 180 away from the 3D printing head 200. After the material container 110 has rotated to its final position, the material tube connector 180 still faces the position reached by the 3D printing head 200.

[0078] It is understood that the elastic structure 100b described in the previous embodiment can also be provided between the material box 110 and the support shaft, so that the material box 110 can better return to a position away from the 3D printing head 200 when the 3D printing head 200 is in a closer position or when the 3D printing head 200 moves from a position closer to the material tray 120 to a position farther from the material tray 120, thereby making the filament 190 or the material tube 140 straighter.

[0079] The filament 190 includes either thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or a foam material, while the material tube 140 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). When the 3D printing head 200 moves from a position farther from the material container 110 to a position closer to it, the material tube 140 has higher hardness, while the filament 190 has better elasticity. Therefore, when the 3D printing head 200 pushes the material container 110 to rotate through the material tube 140, the filament 190 is less likely to break within the material tube 140.

[0080] In some embodiments, the feed tube 140 can rotate actively, and the feeding mechanism 100 may include a drive member 170, which drives the material box 110 to rotate relative to the support shaft 160 to change the direction of the feed tube connector 180 conveying the filament 190. For example, when the 3D printing head 200 moves from a position closer to the material box 110 to a position farther from the material box 110, the drive member 170 drives the material box 110 to rotate, causing the feed tube connector 180 on the material box 110 to face the location of the 3D printing head 200, thus moving the feed tube connector 180 closer to the location of the 3D printing head 200. When the 3D printing head 200 moves from a position far from the material container 110 to a position close to it, the drive component 170 drives the material container 110 to rotate. This rotation causes the material container 110 to move the feed tube connector 180 away from the position of the 3D printing head 200. After the material container 110 rotates to its final position, the feed tube connector 180 still faces the position where the 3D printing head 200 moved. Driving the material container 110 to rotate in coordination with the movement of the 3D printing head 200 helps keep the feed tube 140 straight during the movement of the 3D printing head 200, reducing friction between the feed tube 140 and the filament 190 and improving the smoothness of the feed tube 140 in conveying the filament 190. The feed tube connector 180 always faces the position of the 3D printing head 200 during its movement, preventing excessive bending at the connection between the feed tube 140 and the feed tube connector 180 that could jam the filament 190.

[0081] In some embodiments, the feeding mechanism 100 may include a drive member 170, which drives the feed tube connector 180 to move or rotate relative to the material container 110 to change the direction in which the feed tube connector 180 feeds the filament 190. For example, when the 3D printing head 200 moves from a position closer to the material container 110 to a position farther from the material container 110, the drive member 170 drives the feed tube connector 180 to rotate, causing the feed tube connector 180 to face the position where the 3D printing head 200 has moved. This ensures that the feed tube 140 remains straight at the connection point with the feed tube connector 180, preventing the feed tube 140 from jamming the filament 190 at the connection point. When the 3D printing head 200 moves from a position farther from the material container 110 to a position closer to the material container 110, the drive member 170 drives the feed tube connector 180 to rotate, ensuring that the feed tube connector 180 still faces the position where the 3D printing head 200 has moved.

[0082] In the embodiments provided in this application, see also Figure 7The outer casing 111 includes a first end plate 111b, a second end plate 111c, and an outer frame 111d. The first end plate 111b and the second end plate 111c are spaced apart. The wire spool 112 is disposed between the first end plate 111b and the second end plate 111c. The outer frame 111d surrounds the wire spool 112 and is connected between the first end plate 111b and the second end plate 111c. The outer frame 111d, the wire spool 112, the first end plate 111b, and the second end plate 111c can form a sealed cavity 113, in which the wire 190 is contained and not easily affected by moisture.

[0083] A first end plate 111b and a second end plate 111c are spaced apart. A wire shaft 112 is axially connected between the first end plate 111b and the second end plate 111c (e.g., the X-axis direction). A material tray 120 or a material roll 130 is fitted onto the wire shaft 112, which can be fitted onto a support shaft 160. The wire shaft 112 can rotate relative to the support shaft 160, meaning the material box 110 can rotate relative to the support shaft 160. The material roll 130 or the material tray 120 can rotate relative to the wire shaft 112.

[0084] In some embodiments, the first end plate 111b, the outer frame 111d, and the wire spool 112 are integrally formed. The end of the outer frame 111d away from the first end plate 111b is sealed to the second end plate 111c, and the end of the wire spool 112 away from the first end plate 111b is also sealed to the second end plate 111c. The material box 110 has a simple structure and is easy to install. When installing the material box 110, it is only necessary to seal the end of the second end plate 111c away from the first end plate 111b and the end of the outer frame 111d away from the first end plate 111b to complete the installation.

[0085] The second end plate 111c can be sealed to the feed wire shaft 112 by glue, tape, sealing ring or other sealing components, and the second end plate 111c can be sealed to the outer frame 111d by glue, tape, sealing ring or other sealing components.

[0086] In the embodiments provided in this application, the outer frame 111d has a protrusion 111e that protrudes in a direction away from the wire shaft 112, and the wire outlet 111a is disposed on the outer wall of the protrusion 111e away from the wire shaft 112. Since the wire outlet 111a is disposed on the outer wall of the protrusion 111e away from the wire shaft 112, the wire outlet 111a is relatively far from the central axis around which the wire roll 130 is wound, which is beneficial for the wire roll 130 or the reel 120 to release the wire 190.

[0087] In the embodiments provided in this application, the outer wall of the protrusion 111e away from the wire shaft 112 includes a connected first surface 111f and a second surface 111g. The wire outlet 111a is located on one of the first surface 111f or the second surface 111g, and the axis of the wire outlet 111a is perpendicular to its surface. It should be noted that the perpendicularity of the axis of the wire outlet 111a to its surface does not mean absolute perpendicularity. Due to processing errors or other factors, the angle between the axis of the wire outlet 111a and its surface can be 70°-90°. The perpendicularity of the axis of the wire outlet 111a to its surface facilitates the setting of the wire outlet 111a, and the plane where the wire outlet 111a is located can be used as a reference plane for setting the wire outlet 111a. The perpendicularity of the axis of the wire outlet 111a to its surface is also beneficial for users to use the plane where the wire outlet 111a is located as a reference plane for the state of the material box 110.

[0088] In the embodiments provided in this application, the bracket 150 has a groove, and the support shaft 160 is detachably disposed in the groove.

[0089] The bracket 150 may include a support portion and two legs connected to the support portion, and the two legs are fixedly connected to the frame 300.

[0090] In the embodiments provided in this application, the support portion may include a first support portion and a second support portion, the first support portion and the second support portion are spaced apart, the first support portion and the second support portion are connected by a reinforcing beam, the first support portion has a first groove into which one end of the support shaft 160 extends, and the second support portion has a second groove into which the other end of the support shaft 160 extends.

[0091] The first groove has an upward opening, and the second groove has an upward opening to facilitate the installation and removal of the support shaft 160.

[0092] In the embodiments provided in this application, the support shaft 160 can also support two or more material boxes 110. Taking the support shaft 160 supporting two material boxes 110 as an example, the support shaft 160 is connected to the bracket 150, the two material boxes 110 are spaced apart, and both material boxes 110 are fitted onto the support shaft 160.

[0093] In some embodiments, the number of material boxes 110 may correspond to the number of material tubes 140, and each material box 110 is connected to a material tube 140 through a wire outlet 111a.

[0094] In some embodiments, each material box 110 may also be provided with multiple wire outlets 111a, each wire outlet 111a being connected to a material tube 140.

[0095] In some embodiments, each cassette 110 may contain a plurality of rolls 130 and / or spools 120, each roll 130 being wound with one or more rolls of wire 190, and each spool 120 being wound with one or more rolls of wire 190.

[0096] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of this application are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.

[0097] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first," "second," etc., in this application is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0098] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0099] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of this application can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this application.

[0100] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A supply mechanism characterized by, include: Support shaft; The wire release component includes a hollow wire shaft that is rotatably sleeved on the support shaft; A tray or reel is used to load wire stock. The tray or reel is sleeved on or supported by the wire spool and is rotatably connected to the wire spool. The filament release device is provided with a filament outlet, which is located on the radial outer periphery of the filament tray or filament roll. One end of the filament extends from the filament outlet and extends to the 3D printing head.

2. The feeder mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The wire release component also includes an elastic structure, one end of which is connected to the support shaft, and the other end of which is connected to the wire shaft.

3. The feeder mechanism of claim 2, wherein, The elastic structure includes a helical spring and a connector. The inner end of the helical spring is fixedly connected to the connector, the connector is connected to the support shaft, and the outer end of the helical spring is fixedly connected to the feed line shaft.

4. The feeder mechanism of claim 3, wherein, The end face of one end of the support shaft is provided with a limiting groove along the axial direction, and the connector has a limiting protrusion that extends into the limiting groove to form a snap-fit ​​or threaded engagement.

5. The feeder mechanism of claim 2, wherein, The wire release device also includes a swing arm, one end of which is connected to the wire shaft, and the other end of which is provided with the wire outlet.

6. The feeder mechanism of claim 2, wherein, The wire release device also includes a swing arm and a rotating component. One end of the swing arm is connected to the wire shaft, and the other end of the swing arm is hinged to the rotating component. The wire outlet is located at the rotating component.

7. The feeder mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The wire release device includes a material box, which includes a housing and the wire spool. The housing is connected to the wire spool and surrounds the wire spool. A sealed cavity is formed between the wire spool and the housing. The housing is provided with the wire outlet, which communicates with the sealed cavity.

8. The feeder mechanism of claim 7, wherein, The outer casing includes a first end plate, a second end plate, and an outer frame. The first end plate and the second end plate are spaced apart. The feed spool is disposed between the first end plate and the second end plate. The outer frame surrounds the feed spool and is connected between the first end plate and the second end plate.

9. The feeder mechanism of claim 8, wherein, The first end plate, the outer frame, and the feed spool are integrally formed. The end of the outer frame away from the first end plate is sealed to the second end plate, and the end of the feed spool away from the first end plate is sealed to the second end plate.

10. The feeder mechanism of claim 8, wherein, The outer frame has a protrusion that protrudes away from the wire shaft, and the wire outlet is located on the outer wall of the protrusion away from the wire shaft.

11. The feeder mechanism of claim 10, wherein, The outer wall of the protrusion away from the wire shaft includes a first surface and a second surface connected together. The wire outlet is located on one of the first surface or the second surface, and the axis of the wire outlet is perpendicular to the surface on which it is located.

12. A feeder mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein It also includes a feed tube, one end of which is connected to the filament outlet and the other end is used to connect to the 3D printing head, through which the filament passes.

13. The feeder mechanism of claim 12, wherein, The tubing is made of polytetrafluoroethylene, and the wire material is made of either thermoplastic polyurethane or foam material.

14. The feeder mechanism of claim 12, wherein, It also includes a drive unit and a tube connector through which the wire passes, one end of the tube connector extending into the wire outlet and the other end of the tube connector being connected to the wire tube; the drive unit is used to drive the tube connector to move or rotate relative to the wire release unit to change the direction in which the tube connector conveys the wire.

15. The feeder mechanism of claim 12, wherein, It also includes a drive unit and a tube connector through which the wire passes, one end of the tube connector extending into the wire outlet and the other end of the tube connector being connected to the wire tube. The drive unit is used to drive the wire release unit to rotate relative to the support shaft to change the direction in which the tube connector delivers the wire.

16. A processing apparatus characterized by comprising: Includes a 3D printing head and a feeding mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-15.

17. The processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein The processing equipment also includes a frame, the 3D printing head is disposed in the area surrounded by the frame, the feeding mechanism is located above the frame, and in the vertical direction, the projection of the filament outlet is located in the center of the printing area of ​​the 3D printing head.

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