A multi-color 3D printing nozzle and 3D printer

Abstract

The utility model belongs to 3D printing technical field discloses a kind of multicolor 3D printing nozzle and 3D printer, the 3D printing nozzle includes;Support, is equipped with extrusion assembly on support, and extrusion assembly includes at least two feed ports, at least two feeding channels, a discharge port and consumable mixing channel, each feed port is connected with one feeding channel, and consumable mixing channel is connected with discharge port;Drive assembly, drive assembly is set on support, and drive assembly includes drive part and feeding part, and drive part and feeding part form transmission cooperation, to carry out conveying to consumable in consumable mixing channel;And nozzle, nozzle is connected with the discharge port of extrusion assembly, and nozzle is used to carry out full-color printing or gradual printing after consumable in consumable mixing channel is fused with color mixing.The utility model effectively improves the printing speed of 3D printer, and realizes wasteless printing.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] 3D printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing, creates three-dimensional objects by layering materials based on three-dimensional digital model data. As 3D printing technology matures and the market expands, the demand for multi-color printing is becoming increasingly common. In related technologies, multi-color printing typically involves cutting the filament and then mixing the colors. However, this method requires removing the filament from the print head. Since the filament in the nozzle area is molten, removing it consumes more filament, and the cutting process prolongs printing time, thus affecting the 3D printer's efficiency.

[0003] Therefore, improving the printing efficiency of 3D printers is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention provides a multi-color 3D printing nozzle and a 3D printer to solve the problem of low printing efficiency in existing 3D printers.

[0005] In a first aspect, this utility model provides a multi-color 3D printing nozzle, comprising:

[0006] A support frame is provided with an extrusion assembly, the extrusion assembly including at least two inlets, at least two feeding channels, one outlet and a consumable mixing channel, each inlet being connected to one feeding channel and the consumable mixing channel being connected to the outlet.

[0007] A drive assembly, disposed on the support, comprising a drive section and a feeding section, wherein the drive section and the feeding section form a transmission engagement to convey consumables within the consumable mixing channel; and

[0008] The nozzle is connected to the discharge port of the extrusion assembly. The nozzle is used to mix and melt the consumables in the consumable mixing channel for full-color printing or gradient printing.

[0009] Furthermore, the drive unit includes at least two drive motors, and the feeding unit includes at least two feeding drive wheels corresponding to the drive motors and at least two feeding driven wheels corresponding to the feeding drive wheels. Each drive motor meshes with its corresponding feeding drive wheel, and each feeding drive wheel meshes with its corresponding feeding driven wheel to convey consumables in the consumable mixing channel.

[0010] Furthermore, the drive motor includes a motor body and a motor worm, and the feed drive wheel includes a helical gear;

[0011] The motor worm and the helical gear mesh with each other, and the motor body drives the motor worm to rotate, thereby driving the feed drive wheel to rotate.

[0012] Furthermore, the feeding drive wheel also includes a first extrusion gear coaxially arranged with the helical gear, and the feeding driven wheel includes a second extrusion gear;

[0013] The first extrusion gear meshes with the second extrusion gear, and the tooth profiles of the first extrusion gear and the second extrusion gear are both concave arc-shaped, so that a gap is formed between the first extrusion gear and the second extrusion gear for the consumable to pass through.

[0014] Furthermore, each of the feeding channels includes a feeding pipe and a guide pipe corresponding to and connected to the feeding pipe; the feeding pipe includes a first port for receiving consumables and a second port disposed opposite to the first port; the guide pipe includes a guide port and a converging port disposed opposite to each other; the guide port of the guide pipe is connected to the second port of the feeding pipe; and the converging port of the guide pipe is disposed corresponding to the outlet of the extrusion assembly.

[0015] Furthermore, a second extrusion gear mounting plate is also installed on the bracket, and an adjusting member is provided on the second extrusion gear mounting plate. The adjusting member is located near the feed port and is used to adjust the gap between the second extrusion gear bracket and the second extrusion gear.

[0016] Furthermore, the multi-color 3D printing nozzle also includes a heating element, which has an input end and an output end arranged opposite to each other. The input end of the heating element is connected to the discharge port of the extrusion assembly, and the output end of the heating element is connected to the nozzle.

[0017] Furthermore, a heat dissipation component is also installed on the bracket;

[0018] The heat dissipation assembly includes a cooler disposed between the extrusion assembly and the nozzle, a first cooling fan disposed outside the cooler, and a second cooling fan disposed on the cooler;

[0019] The first cooling fan is configured to correspond to the heating element, and the second cooling fan is configured to correspond to the nozzle.

[0020] Furthermore, the cooler includes a plurality of stacked and spaced-apart cooling plates, and the feed tube is disposed through the cooling plates.

[0021] Secondly, the present invention provides a 3D printer, the 3D printer comprising a multi-color 3D printing nozzle as described in any of the first aspects above.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the multi-color 3D printing nozzle provided by this utility model includes an extrusion assembly, a corresponding drive assembly, and a nozzle. The drive assembly includes a drive section and a feeding section, which are connected in a transmission relationship to transport the filament in the filament mixing channel. The nozzle mixes and melts the filament in the filament mixing channel for full-color or gradient printing. This utility model controls each extrusion assembly to extrude a corresponding amount of filament, effectively improving the printing speed of the 3D printer and achieving zero-waste printing. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 A three-dimensional assembly drawing of a multi-color 3D printing nozzle provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a multi-color 3D printing nozzle provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a drive component provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a feeding drive wheel provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an extrusion assembly provided in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a heat dissipation component provided in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0029] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a cooler provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a guide rail provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0031] Among them, 10 is the bracket, 11 is the second extrusion gear mounting plate, 20 is the extrusion assembly, 21 is the feed port, 22 is the feeding channel, 221 is the conveying pipe, 2211 is the first port, 2212 is the second port, 222 is the guide pipe, 2221 is the guide port, 2222 is the converging port, 23 is the discharge port, 24 is the consumable mixing channel, 30 is the drive assembly, 301 is the drive unit, 302 is the feeding unit, 31 is the drive motor, 311 is the motor body, and 312 is the motor. Worm gear, 32 is the feed drive wheel, 321 is the helical gear, 322 is the first extrusion gear, 33 is the feed driven wheel, 331 is the second extrusion gear, 40 is the nozzle, 50 is the adjusting component, 60 is the heating component, 61 is the input end of the heating component, 62 is the output end of the heating component, 70 is the heat dissipation assembly, 71 is the cooler, 711 is the cooling plate, 72 is the first cooling fan, 73 is the second cooling fan, 80 is the control circuit board, 90 is the housing, 91 is the slider, and 100 is the guide rail. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of the present utility model.

[0033] To make the description of this disclosure more detailed and complete, illustrative descriptions of the embodiments and specific examples of this utility model are provided below; however, this is not the only form of implementing or using the specific embodiments of this utility model. The embodiments cover the features of multiple specific embodiments and the methods, steps, and their order for constructing and operating these specific embodiments. However, other specific embodiments can also be used to achieve the same or equivalent functions and step sequences. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0034] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this utility model are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this utility model described herein can be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0035] In the description of the embodiments of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, " / " means "or". For example, A / B can mean A or B. The word "and / or" in the text is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. In addition, in the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more. Other quantifiers should be understood similarly. The preferred embodiments described herein are only used to illustrate and explain this utility model and are not intended to limit this utility model. Furthermore, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0036] To address the low printing efficiency of existing 3D printers, this invention provides a multi-color 3D printing nozzle. Please refer to... Figures 1-2 This is a structural schematic diagram of a multi-color 3D printing nozzle provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a multi-color 3D printing nozzle provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The multi-color 3D printing nozzle includes a support 10, on which an extrusion assembly 20 is provided. The extrusion assembly 20 includes at least two feed ports 21, at least two feeding channels 22, one discharge port 23, and a filament mixing channel 24. Each feed port 21 is connected to one feeding channel 22, and the filament mixing channel 24 is connected to the discharge port 23. A drive assembly 30 is disposed on the support 10. The drive assembly 30 includes a drive part 301 and a feeding part 302. The drive part 301 and the feeding part 302 form a transmission cooperation to convey the filament in the filament mixing channel 24. A nozzle 40 is connected to the discharge port 23 of the extrusion assembly. The nozzle 40 is used to mix and melt the filament in the filament mixing channel 24 for full-color printing or gradient printing. Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, by providing at least two feed inlets 21 and at least two corresponding feeding channels 22 in the extrusion assembly 20, independent access and conveying of various colors of consumables can be achieved. Consumables of different colors can enter from their respective feed inlets 21 and be conveyed to the discharge outlet 23 via the feeding channel 22, so that the nozzle 40 can process consumables of various colors to meet the needs of full-color printing or gradient printing with mixed colors. A consumable mixing channel 24 is provided at the discharge outlet 23 of the extrusion assembly. The transmission cooperation between the drive unit 301 and the feeding unit 302 can achieve precise and stable consumable conveying, avoiding blockage of the feeding channel 22 due to uneven power. Consumables of different colors are gathered together in the consumable mixing channel 24, and then mixed and melted by the nozzle 40 before printing, which can present a rich variety of full-color printing effects or gradient printing effects.

[0037] As a further preferred option, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 5 The drive unit 301 includes at least two drive motors 31, and the feeding unit 302 includes at least two feeding drive wheels 32 corresponding to the drive motors 31, and at least two feeding driven wheels 33 corresponding to the feeding drive wheels 32. Each drive motor 31 meshes with its corresponding feeding drive wheel 32, and each feeding drive wheel 32 meshes with its corresponding feeding driven wheel 33 to convey consumables in the consumable mixing channel 24. Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, the meshing of the drive motors 31 and the feeding drive wheels 32, and the meshing of the feeding drive wheels 32 and the feeding driven wheels 33 in the drive assembly 30, forms a multi-stage transmission structure, which can effectively transmit the power of the drive motors 31 to the feeding channels 22 of each color consumable to convey consumables in the consumable mixing channel 24.

[0038] As a further preferred option, please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the drive assembly for a multi-color 3D printing nozzle provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The drive motor 31 includes a motor body 311 and a motor worm gear 312, and the feed drive wheel 32 includes a helical gear 321. The motor worm gear 312 and the helical gear 321 mesh with each other, and the motor body 311 drives the motor worm gear 312 to rotate, thereby driving the feed drive wheel 32 to rotate. In this embodiment of the present invention, through the meshing of the motor worm gear 312 and the helical gear 321, a larger transmission force can be achieved, which can change the transmission speed of consumables to a certain extent.

[0039] As a further preferred option, please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the feeding drive wheel of a multi-color 3D printing nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention. The feeding drive wheel 32 further includes a first extrusion gear 322 coaxially arranged with the helical gear 321, and the feeding driven wheel 33 includes a second extrusion gear 331. The first extrusion gear 322 and the second extrusion gear 331 mesh with each other, and the tooth profiles of the first extrusion gear 322 and the second extrusion gear 331 are both concave arc-shaped, so that a gap for consumable material to pass through is formed between the first extrusion gear 322 and the second extrusion gear 331. In this embodiment of the present invention, the meshing of the first extrusion gear 322 and the second extrusion gear 331, and the fact that the tooth profiles are both concave arc-shaped, creates a gap for consumable material to pass through between the first extrusion gear 322 and the second extrusion gear 331. When the first extrusion gear 322 and the second extrusion gear 331 rotate, they apply extrusion force to the consumable material in the gap, pushing the consumable material forward to achieve the extrusion function of the consumable material.

[0040] As a further preferred option, please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an extrusion assembly for a multi-color 3D printing nozzle provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Each of the feeding channels 22 includes a feeding pipe 221 and a guide pipe 222 corresponding to and connected to the feeding pipe 221. The feeding pipe 221 includes a first port 2211 for receiving consumables and a second port 2212 disposed opposite to the first port. The guide pipe 222 includes a guide port 2221 and a converging port 2222 disposed opposite to each other. The guide port 2221 of the guide pipe is connected to the second port 2212 of the feeding pipe, and the converging port 2222 of the guide pipe is correspondingly disposed to the outlet 23 of the extrusion assembly. In this embodiment of the utility model, the corresponding connection between the feeding pipe 221 and the guide pipe 222, and the corresponding arrangement between the guide pipe 222 and the extrusion component outlet 23, effectively ensure the accurate transmission of consumables of different colors. The converging port 2222 of the guide pipe 222 is correspondingly arranged with the extrusion component outlet 23, which can effectively mix and converge consumables from different feeding pipes 221 together.

[0041] As a further preferred option, please refer to Figure 3 The bracket 10 is further equipped with a second extrusion gear mounting plate 11, and an adjusting member 50 is provided on the second extrusion gear mounting plate 11. The adjusting member 50 is located near the feed inlet 21 and is used to adjust the gap between the second extrusion gear bracket 10 and the second extrusion gear 331. In this embodiment of the present invention, the adjusting member 50 is used to adjust the gap between the second extrusion gear mounting plate 11 and the second extrusion gear 331, so that consumables of various colors can be manually fed into the discharge port 23 to achieve the purpose of clearing blockages.

[0042] As a further preferred embodiment, the multi-color 3D printing nozzle further includes a heating element 60, which includes an input end 61 and an output end 62 disposed opposite to each other. The input end 61 of the heating element is connected to the discharge port 23 of the extrusion assembly, and the output end 62 of the heating element is connected to the nozzle 40. In this embodiment of the present invention, the connection between the input end 61 of the heating element 60 and the discharge port 23 of the extrusion assembly, and the connection between the output end 62 and the nozzle 40, forms a relatively closed heating channel, which can ensure that heat is effectively transferred to the printing consumables and avoid heat loss.

[0043] As a further preferred option, please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of a heat dissipation assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention. A heat dissipation assembly 70 is also mounted on the support 10; the heat dissipation assembly includes a cooler 71 disposed between the extrusion assembly 20 and the nozzle 40, a first cooling fan 72 disposed outside the cooler 71, and a second cooling fan 73 disposed on the cooler; the first cooling fan 72 is correspondingly disposed to the heating element 60, and the second cooling fan 73 is correspondingly disposed to the nozzle 40. In this embodiment of the present invention, during the 3D printing process, the heating element 60 heats the printing filament to a fluid state. If the filament remains at a high temperature after reaching the nozzle 40, problems such as flow and deformation may occur, affecting printing accuracy. The cooler 71 disposed between the extrusion assembly 20 and the nozzle 40 can cool the filament extruded from the nozzle 40, ensuring it is extruded at a suitable temperature and preventing shape deviations due to overheating of the filament during printing. In addition, the first cooling fan 72 is correspondingly arranged with the heating element 60, and the air outlet of the first cooling fan 72 is close to the heating element 60. The first cooling fan 72 blows air onto the heating element 60, which can effectively reduce the temperature environment around the heating element 60. The second cooling fan 73 is correspondingly arranged with the nozzle 40, and the air outlet of the second cooling fan 73 is close to the nozzle 40. The second cooling fan 73 blows air onto the nozzle 40, which can accelerate the cooling and curing speed of the consumables extruded from the nozzle 40.

[0044] As a further preferred option, please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a cooler provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The cooler 71 includes a plurality of stacked and spaced-apart cooling plates 711, and the feed tube 222 is disposed through the cooling plates 711. In this embodiment of the present invention, the cooler 71 adopts a structure of a plurality of stacked and spaced-apart cooling plates 711, which effectively increases the surface area of ​​the cooler 71 in contact with the external environment. The stacked and spaced design forms a structure similar to an "air duct" between the cooling plates 711, allowing air to flow smoothly in these gaps. When the heat dissipation components such as the first cooling fan 72 and the second cooling fan 73 are working, the flowing air can better remove the heat from the cooling plates 711, further enhancing the heat dissipation effect of the heat dissipation component 70, and ensuring that the consumables are fully and effectively cooled in the feed tube 222.

[0045] As a further preferred embodiment, the multi-color 3D printing nozzle also includes a control circuit board 80, which is electrically connected to each of the drive motors 31. In this embodiment, the control circuit board 80 is electrically connected to each drive motor 31, and the control circuit board 80 can set the color data of the 3D printing model, precisely control the speed and rotation time of each drive motor 31, thereby accurately controlling the supply of different color consumables.

[0046] As a further preferred option, please refer to Figure 8 , Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a guide rail provided in an embodiment of the present utility model. The multicolor 3D printing nozzle also includes a housing 90 and a guide rail 100 connected to the housing 90. A slider 91 is provided on the housing, and a conveyor belt (not shown in the figure) is provided in the guide rail 100. The slider 91 is connected to the conveyor belt, and the conveyor belt drives the slider 91 to move, thereby driving the nozzle 40 to move along the moving direction of the conveyor belt.

[0047] Based on the aforementioned multi-color 3D printing nozzle, this application also provides a 3D printer, including the multi-color 3D printing nozzle provided in the above embodiments. The structure and principle of the multi-color 3D printing nozzle can be referred to in the above embodiments. Since the 3D printer provided in this application includes the multi-color 3D printing nozzle in the above embodiments, the 3D printer provided in this application has all the beneficial effects of the multi-color 3D printing nozzle in the above embodiments, so it will not be described in detail here.

[0048] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0049] The above embodiments only illustrate preferred implementations of this utility model, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A multi-color 3D printing nozzle, characterized in that, include: A support frame is provided with an extrusion assembly, the extrusion assembly including at least two inlets, at least two feeding channels, one outlet and a consumable mixing channel, each inlet being connected to one feeding channel and the consumable mixing channel being connected to the outlet. A drive assembly, disposed on the support, comprising a drive section and a feeding section, wherein the drive section and the feeding section form a transmission engagement to convey consumables within the consumable mixing channel; and The nozzle is connected to the discharge port of the extrusion assembly. The nozzle is used to mix and melt the consumables in the consumable mixing channel for full-color printing or gradient printing.

2. The multi-color 3D printing nozzle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive unit includes at least two drive motors, and the feeding unit includes at least two feeding drive wheels corresponding to the drive motors and at least two feeding driven wheels corresponding to the feeding drive wheels. Each drive motor meshes with its corresponding feeding drive wheel, and each feeding drive wheel meshes with its corresponding feeding driven wheel to convey consumables in the consumable mixing channel.

3. The multi-color 3D printing nozzle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive motor includes a motor body and a motor worm, and the feed drive wheel includes a helical gear; The motor worm and the helical gear mesh with each other, and the motor body drives the motor worm to rotate, thereby driving the feed drive wheel to rotate.

4. The multi-color 3D printing nozzle according to claim 3, characterized in that, The feeding drive wheel also includes a first extrusion gear coaxially arranged with the helical gear, and the feeding driven wheel includes a second extrusion gear; The first extrusion gear meshes with the second extrusion gear, and the tooth profiles of the first extrusion gear and the second extrusion gear are both concave arc-shaped, so that a gap is formed between the first extrusion gear and the second extrusion gear for the consumable to pass through.

5. The multi-color 3D printing nozzle according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each of the feeding channels includes a feeding pipe and a guide pipe corresponding to and connected to the feeding pipe; the feeding pipe includes a first port for receiving consumables and a second port disposed opposite to the first port; the guide pipe includes a guide port and a converging port disposed opposite to each other; the guide port of the guide pipe is connected to the second port of the feeding pipe; and the converging port of the guide pipe is disposed corresponding to the outlet of the extrusion assembly.

6. The multi-color 3D printing nozzle according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bracket is also equipped with a second extrusion gear mounting plate, and the second extrusion gear mounting plate is provided with an adjusting member. The adjusting member is located near the feed port and is used to adjust the gap between the second extrusion gear bracket and the second extrusion gear.

7. The multi-color 3D printing nozzle according to claim 6, characterized in that, The multicolor 3D printing nozzle also includes a heating element, which has an input end and an output end arranged opposite to each other. The input end of the heating element is connected to the discharge port of the extrusion assembly, and the output end of the heating element is connected to the nozzle.

8. The multi-color 3D printing nozzle according to claim 7, characterized in that, The bracket is also equipped with a heat dissipation component; The heat dissipation assembly includes a cooler disposed between the extrusion assembly and the nozzle, a first cooling fan disposed outside the cooler, and a second cooling fan disposed on the cooler; The first cooling fan is configured to correspond to the heating element, and the second cooling fan is configured to correspond to the nozzle.

9. The multi-color 3D printing nozzle according to claim 8, characterized in that, The cooler includes several stacked and spaced-apart cooling plates, and the feed tube is disposed through the cooling plates.

10. A 3D printer, characterized in that, The 3D printer includes a multicolor 3D printing nozzle as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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