Feed tube, and nozzle assembly and stereolithography device using the same

Abstract

This application provides a feed tube, a printhead assembly using the same, and a 3D printing device. The feed tube is a low-resistance pipeline structure for conveying consumables, mainly used to improve the conveying efficiency of the 3D printer during long-distance feeding. It is suitable for various printing materials, has strong versatility, effectively reduces the frictional resistance between the consumable and the tube wall, and improves feeding stability. The feed tube is used to transport consumables and includes a body and an extension. The body is hollow, forming a transmission area. The extension extends from the inside of the body into the transmission area. When the consumable is located within the transmission area, the extension is configured to contact a portion of the outer wall of the consumable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of stereolithography, and more particularly to a feed tube, a nozzle assembly using the same, and a stereolithography apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] 3D printing is a rapid prototyping technology that uses digital model files as a basis and employs adhesive materials such as special waxes, powdered metals, or plastics to create three-dimensional objects by printing layers of material. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is one of the main 3D printing technologies. This technology involves heating and melting a hot-melt filament, extruding it from a nozzle, and depositing it onto a forming platform or a previously cured material layer to ultimately create the physical object.

[0003] In FDM 3D printers, the performance of the filament delivery system directly affects printing stability and forming accuracy. Especially for long-running tasks and printing large-scale models, improper control of filament delivery resistance can easily lead to problems such as jamming, over-extrusion, and under-extrusion, thus affecting print quality. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the delivery structure in the filament feeding path, particularly by finding a balance between reducing frictional resistance and extending structural lifespan. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the problems in the prior art, this application provides a feed tube, a nozzle assembly using the same, and a 3D printing device. The feed tube is a low-resistance pipeline structure for consumable delivery, mainly used to improve the delivery efficiency of the 3D printer during long-distance material feeding. It is suitable for various printing materials, has strong versatility, effectively reduces the frictional resistance between the consumable and the tube wall, and improves the stability of material feeding.

[0005] This application provides a feed tube for transporting consumables. The feed tube includes a body and an extension. The body is hollow, forming a transport area. The extension extends from the inside of the body into the transport area. When the consumable is located within the transport area, the extension is configured to contact a portion of the outer wall of the consumable.

[0006] In one embodiment, the extension includes a plurality of extension members arranged in a ring shape inside the body portion.

[0007] In one embodiment, for the same edge contour portion of the extension, the distance between different edge contour portions and the body portion is different.

[0008] In one embodiment, the edge contour of the extension is arc-shaped.

[0009] In one embodiment, the plurality of said extensions have the same structure.

[0010] In one embodiment, the cross-section of the body portion is cylindrical; the radial diameter of the body portion is greater than or equal to 3 mm, and / or the radial diameter of the body portion is less than or equal to 4 mm.

[0011] In one embodiment, the maximum distance between the edge contour portion of the extension and the inner side of the body portion is less than or equal to 0.25 mm.

[0012] In one embodiment, the body portion and the extension portion are an integral structure, or the body portion and the extension portion are separate structures.

[0013] This application embodiment also provides a nozzle assembly, the nozzle assembly including a nozzle body and a guide tube as described in any of the foregoing embodiments; the guide tube is connected and communicates with the nozzle body, and is used to guide the consumable into the nozzle body.

[0014] This application also provides a stereolithography apparatus, which includes a material rack, a guide tube as described in any of the foregoing embodiments, or a nozzle assembly as described in the foregoing embodiments; the material rack is used to place the consumables to be processed, and the material rack cooperates with the guide tube so that the guide tube can transport the consumables on the material rack.

[0015] Understandably, the hollow body forms a transmission area for transmitting consumables, and the body can provide protection for the consumables; the extension extends from the inside of the body into the transmission area to contact the consumables and hold them in place so that they can be transmitted smoothly. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the feed tube provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the feed tube provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a partial three-dimensional schematic diagram of the three-dimensional printing apparatus provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0019] Explanation of main component symbols

[0020] Feed tube 10

[0021] Transmission area 100

[0022] Main body part 11

[0023] Extension 12

[0024] Extension 120

[0025] First end 121

[0026] Second end 122

[0027] Edge contour area 123

[0028] Groove 129

[0029] 3D printing device 2

[0030] Consumables 20

[0031] Nozzle assembly 21

[0032] Nozzle body 210

[0033] Material rack 22

[0034] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will further illustrate this application. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The following description will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings for a more complete description of the present application. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present application. However, the present application may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. These exemplary embodiments are provided to make the present application thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present application to those skilled in the art. Similar reference numerals denote the same or similar components. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to limit the present application. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to also include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, when used herein, “comprising” and / or “including” and / or “having,” integers, steps, operations, components, and / or components, but without excluding the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, components, and / or groups thereof. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. Furthermore, unless explicitly defined herein, terms such as those defined in a general dictionary should be interpreted as having the same meaning as they have in the relevant technology and in the content of this application, and should not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning.

[0036] In FDM 3D printers, the performance of the filament delivery system directly impacts printing stability and forming accuracy. Especially for long-running tasks and printing large-scale models, improper control of filament delivery resistance can easily lead to problems such as jamming, over-extrusion, and under-extrusion, thus affecting print quality. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the delivery structure in the filament feeding path, particularly seeking a balance between reducing frictional resistance and extending structural lifespan. Currently, Teflon (PTFE) tubing is widely used in the industry as the filament feeding conduit for 3D printing; this type of tubing is widely used due to its high temperature resistance, low friction, and good flexibility. Typically, Teflon tubing has a circular cross-section, used in conjunction with circular filament. However, this structure has significant shortcomings; because the filament forms a large circular contact area inside the tubing, the frictional resistance is relatively high during actual delivery, especially during long-distance feeding, which can easily cause fluctuations in motor load and a decrease in printing accuracy. To alleviate resistance issues, thin-walled Teflon tubing can be used to reduce the contact area between the tubing wall and the filament. However, due to their smaller wall thickness, these tubing types are prone to fatigue cracking or filament protrusion deformation during prolonged use, significantly shortening their lifespan. Conversely, while thicker-walled Teflon tubing can enhance structural strength and lifespan, the reduced inner diameter further compresses the filament delivery space, leading to increased frictional resistance. Therefore, the typical Teflon circular tubing structure has significant limitations in balancing low friction and high durability. Firstly, the circular cross-section design results in a large frictional contact area between the filament and the tubing wall, affecting the smoothness of filament feeding. Secondly, it is difficult to achieve an optimal balance between structural strength and resistance control in terms of wall thickness, making it impossible to simultaneously meet the dual requirements of durability and printing performance.

[0037] Correspondingly, embodiments of this application provide a feed tube and a printhead assembly and 3D printing device using the same. The feed tube is a low-resistance pipeline structure for conveying consumables, mainly used to improve the conveying efficiency of the 3D printer during long-distance feeding. It is suitable for various printing materials, has strong versatility, effectively reduces the frictional resistance between the consumables and the tube wall, and improves feeding stability. The feed tube is used to transport consumables and includes a body and an extension. The body is hollow, forming a transmission area. The extension extends from the inside of the body into the transmission area. When the consumables are located in the transmission area, the extension is configured to contact a portion of the outer wall of the consumables.

[0038] Furthermore, the feed tube provided in this application adopts a star-shaped cross-section conveying tube structure with low resistance, wear resistance, and long service life, achieving an effective breakthrough in overcoming the shortcomings of existing technologies in terms of structural design. Firstly, the star-shaped cross-section ensures that the consumable material maintains line or point contact with the tube wall, significantly reducing the friction area and lowering the resistance of the consumable material during conveying, effectively improving the smoothness of material feeding, with even more pronounced advantages when facing long-distance feeding. Secondly, the feed tube with a star-shaped cross-section possesses excellent resistance to deformation, and is less prone to tube wall rupture or deformation even under continuous high-intensity operation or high-frequency feeding environments, greatly extending the service life of the tube and solving the problem of easy wear and tear of thin-walled Teflon tubes.

[0039] Understandably, the feed tube provided in this application embodiment, while ensuring the strength of the tube, optimizes the contact surface between the consumable and the feed tube due to its star-shaped cross-sectional structure. Therefore, even with a thicker wall design, it does not cause the increased conveying resistance commonly found in thick-walled tubes. The feed tube provided in this application embodiment achieves an overall improvement in the 3D printing consumable conveying system in terms of low friction, high reliability, and long lifespan.

[0040] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrates exemplary embodiments. It should be noted that components depicted in the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale; and identical or similar components will be designated with the same or similar reference numerals or similar technical terms.

[0041] The specific embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this application embodiment provides a feed tube 10 and a nozzle assembly 21 and a stereolithography device 2 using the same; the feed tube 10 is a low-resistance pipeline structure for conveying consumables 20, mainly used to improve the conveying efficiency of the stereolithography device 2 in the long-distance feeding process, applicable to a variety of printing materials, highly versatile, effectively reducing the frictional resistance between consumables 20 and the tube wall, and improving the feeding stability.

[0043] Further integration Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment, the feed tube 10 has a transfer region 100 for transferring the sizing material 20 for stereolithography. The feed tube 10 includes a body portion 11 and an extension portion 12. The body portion 11 is hollow to form the transfer region 100; the extension portion 12 extends from the inside of the body portion 11 into the transfer region 100, and when the sizing material 20 is located within the transfer region 100, the extension portion 12 is configured to contact a portion of the outer wall of the sizing material 20.

[0044] Understandably, the body portion 11 is hollow to form a transmission area 100 for transmitting consumable 20, and the body portion 11 can provide protection for consumable 20; the extension portion 12 extends from the inside of the body portion 11 into the transmission area 100, and is used to contact consumable 20 to hold consumable 20 in place so that it can be transmitted smoothly.

[0045] In one embodiment, the extension 12 and the main body 11 are an integral structure, or the main body 11 and the extension 12 are separate structures; the material of the feed tube 10 can be Teflon.

[0046] In this embodiment, the extension 12 is the portion of the guide tube 10 near the inner side and surrounding the transmission area 100, used to support the consumable 20 within the transmission area 100; the body 11 is the portion of the guide tube 10 near the outer side and surrounding the extension 12, used to support the extension 12 and make the structure of the guide tube 10 more robust. The extension 12 and the body 11 can be made of the same material, and the extension 12 and the body 11 are interconnected and can be a one-piece molded structure, that is, the guide tube 10 itself can be a one-piece molded structure.

[0047] In other embodiments, the extension 12 and the main body 11 may be made of different materials, and appropriate materials can be selected according to their respective functional requirements and physical structures. The extension 12 and the main body 11 may also not be integrally formed, and can be connected by means of bonding, welding, interference fit, etc.

[0048] Understandably, the main body 11 is fitted outside the extension 12; on the one hand, it can provide support for the extension 12, so that the extension 12 can provide sufficient support for the consumable 20; on the other hand, it can provide protection for the extension 12, so that the guide tube 10 as a whole has high strength and protection performance.

[0049] In one embodiment, the extension 12 includes a plurality of extension members 120 arranged in a ring on the inner side of the body portion 11.

[0050] In this embodiment, the multiple extensions 120 have the same structure.

[0051] Understandably, multiple extensions 120 arranged in a ring can be used to correspond to the outer surface of the consumable 20, so that the extension 12 provides better support and guidance for the consumable 20, ensuring the stability of the consumable 20 during transportation.

[0052] In one embodiment, the extension 12 further includes a plurality of spaced-apart slots 129, each slot 129 being formed by two adjacent extensions 120, the slots 129 surrounding the transmission region 100 and communicating with the transmission region 100.

[0053] Understandably, the extension 120 and the groove 129 are alternately arranged, with two extensions 120 enclosing a groove 129. The groove 129 communicates with the transmission area 100 and is used to thin the extension 12. This allows the extension 12 to contact the consumable 20 while reducing the contact area between the extension 12 and the consumable 20, thereby reducing the frictional resistance between the consumable 20 and the feed tube 10.

[0054] In one embodiment, the feed tube 10 has a circular cross-section. The transfer area 100 extends along the axial direction of the feed tube 10, the extension member 120 extends along the axial direction of the feed tube 10, and the extension member 120 protrudes along the radial direction of the feed tube 10.

[0055] It is understandable that the circular guide tube 10 is a good match for the shape of the consumable 20, and it is also convenient for storage and transportation, thus having high practicality. Those skilled in the art will understand that the shape of the guide tube 10 can also be other shapes, as long as it can at least ensure the transmission of the consumable 20, which will not be elaborated here.

[0056] In one embodiment, the transmission area 100, the extension 120, and the groove 129 are all provided to extend along the transmission direction, and the guide tube 10 is used to transmit the consumable 20 along the transmission direction.

[0057] In one embodiment, the transmission region 100 is configured to extend along the transmission direction and penetrate the feed tube 10, and the spacing direction of the plurality of extensions 120 intersects the transmission direction.

[0058] In other embodiments, the extension direction of the extension member 120 and the groove 129 may not be completely parallel to the extension direction of the transmission area 100. This is to ensure that the consumable 20 can be supported while reducing the contact area with the consumable 20, which will not be elaborated here.

[0059] In this embodiment, the feed tube 10 is a cylindrical hollow tube with a circular cross-section, and the transmission direction is the axial direction of the feed tube 10. The transmission channel is the central cylindrical area of ​​the hollow part of the feed tube 10, which is used to transmit the consumable 20. The protrusion direction of the extension 120 corresponds to the radial direction of the feed tube 10, so that the end of the extension 120 can contact the consumable 20. At the same time, the extension direction of the extension 120 corresponds to the axial direction of the feed tube 10, which is used to achieve continuous support and guidance for the consumable 20.

[0060] In one embodiment, the extension 120 includes a first end portion 121 and a second end portion 122. The first end portion 121 is connected to the body portion 11, and the second end portion 122 is disposed opposite to the first end portion 121 and protrudes toward the transmission area 100.

[0061] Understandably, the first end 121 is connected to the body 11, and a wider first end 121 improves its connection stability. The second end 122 is used to contact the consumable 20. The second end 122 is away from the first end 121 and protrudes towards the transmission area 100, with its width gradually decreasing. This makes the top of the second end 122, which is away from the first end 121, have a smaller width, thereby reducing the contact area between the guide tube 10 and the consumable 20 and reducing frictional resistance.

[0062] In one embodiment, the edge contour portion 123 of the extension 120 is arc-shaped. Alternatively, it can be understood that the second end portion 122 has an arc-shaped surface.

[0063] It is understandable that the consumable 20 will inevitably swing during transmission. The arc-shaped second end 122 has good adaptability, and the consumable 20 can contact any part of the arc-shaped surface.

[0064] In one embodiment, for the same extension 120, the distance between different edge contour portions 123 and the body portion 11 is different.

[0065] In this embodiment, the cross-section of the plurality of extensions 120 along the radial direction of the feed tube 10 has a wavy configuration.

[0066] Understandably, on the cross-section along the radial direction of the feed tube 10, multiple extensions 120 are arranged sequentially around the transmission area 100 and have a wavy configuration (or can be understood as a star-shaped cross-section), achieving a good balance between maintaining the strength of the feed tube 10 and reducing the feeding resistance.

[0067] In one embodiment, the cross-section of the body portion 11 is cylindrical; the radial diameter of the body portion 11 is greater than or equal to 3 mm, and / or the radial diameter of the body portion 11 is less than or equal to 4 mm.

[0068] In one embodiment, the maximum distance between the edge contour portion 123 of the extension 120 and the inner side of the body portion 11 is less than or equal to 0.25 mm.

[0069] In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the feed tube 10 (or the outer diameter of the body portion 11) can be approximately 4 ± 0.1 mm, and the outer diameter of the extension portion 12 (or the virtual boundary formed by the first end portion 121) can be approximately 3 ± 0.1 mm. In other embodiments, the specific dimensions of the feed tube 10 can also be adjusted according to actual needs, which will not be elaborated here.

[0070] Understandably, compared with a general circular pipeline structure, the star-shaped guide tube 10 provided in this application embodiment allows the 3D printing consumable 20 with a circular cross-section to only form line contact or point contact with the inner wall, significantly reducing the contact area and reducing frictional resistance. It is especially suitable for long-distance, high-precision consumable 20 feeding scenarios, effectively improving feeding stability and extrusion accuracy.

[0071] Understandably, the star-shaped guide tube 10 provided in this application embodiment maintains a certain strength and rigidity while avoiding the problem of easy deformation and breakage due to excessive softness. Compared with general thin-walled round tubes, the guide tube 10 provided in this application embodiment has higher mechanical strength and longer service life, and is suitable for frequent feeding and high-load working environments.

[0072] Understandably, the star-shaped feed tube 10 provided in this application embodiment achieves a dual balance between structural rigidity and low-resistance channel while maintaining a reasonable overall tube wall thickness. Even while maintaining a relatively thick tube wall (to ensure lifespan), it can still minimize frictional contact between the consumable 20 and the inner wall of the feed tube 10, effectively reducing resistance and ensuring efficient feeding.

[0073] Further integration Figure 3 As shown in the illustration, this application embodiment also provides a nozzle assembly 21, which includes a nozzle body 210 and a guide tube 10 as described in any of the foregoing embodiments. The guide tube 10 is connected to and communicates with the nozzle body 210, and is used to guide the consumable 20 into the nozzle body 210.

[0074] Further integration Figure 3 As shown, this application embodiment also provides a stereolithography apparatus 2, which includes a material rack 22, a guide tube 10 as in any of the foregoing embodiments, or a nozzle assembly 21 as in the foregoing embodiments. The material rack 22 is used to place the consumable material 20 to be processed. The material rack 22 cooperates with the guide tube 10 so that the guide tube 10 can transfer the consumable material 20 on the material rack 22.

[0075] Furthermore, the feed tube 10 provided in this embodiment of the application achieves an effective breakthrough in overcoming the shortcomings of the prior art by adopting a star-shaped cross-section conveying tube structure with low resistance, wear resistance, and long service life. First, the star-shaped cross-section allows the consumable 20 to maintain line or point contact with the tube wall at all times, significantly reducing the friction area, lowering the resistance of the consumable 20 during the conveying process, and effectively improving the smoothness of material feeding, with more obvious advantages when facing long-distance material feeding. Second, the feed tube 10 with a star-shaped cross-section has good resistance to deformation, and is not prone to tube wall rupture or deformation under continuous high-intensity operation or high-frequency feeding environment, greatly extending the service life of the tube and solving the problem of easy wear and tear of thin-walled Teflon tubes.

[0076] Understandably, the feed tube 10 provided in this embodiment of the application, while ensuring the strength of the tube, also optimizes the contact surface between the consumable 20 and the feed tube 10 due to its star-shaped cross-sectional structure. Therefore, even with a thicker wall design, the feed tube 10 does not suffer from the increased transport resistance commonly seen in thick-walled tubes. The feed tube 10 provided in this embodiment of the application achieves an overall improvement in the 3D printing consumable 20 transport system in terms of low friction, high reliability, and long lifespan.

[0077] The specific embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and substitutions can be made to the specific embodiments of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. All such changes and substitutions fall within the scope defined by this application.

Claims

1. A guide tube, characterized in that, The feed tube is used to transport consumables, and the feed tube includes: The main body is hollow and forms a transmission area; An extension portion extends from the inside of the body portion into the transmission area, and when the consumable is located within the transmission area, the extension portion is configured to contact a portion of the outer sidewall of the consumable.

2. The guide tube of claim 1, wherein, The extension includes multiple extension members arranged in a ring on the inner side of the main body.

3. The guide tube of claim 2, wherein, For the same edge contour portion of the extension, the distance between different edge contour portions and the body portion is different.

4. The feed tube as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The edge contour of the extension is arc-shaped.

5. The feed tube as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The structures of the multiple extensions are identical.

6. The feed tube as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cross-section of the body part is cylindrical; the radial diameter of the body part is greater than or equal to 3 mm, and / or the radial diameter of the body part is less than or equal to 4 mm.

7. The feed tube as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The maximum distance between the edge contour of the extension and the inner side of the body is less than or equal to 0.25 mm.

8. The feed tube as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The main body and the extension are either an integral structure or separate structures.

9. A nozzle assembly, characterized in that, The nozzle assembly includes a nozzle body and a feed tube as described in any one of claims 1 to 8; the feed tube is connected to and communicates with the nozzle body, and is used to guide the consumable into the nozzle body.

10. A stereoscopic printing device, characterized in that, It includes a material rack, a guide tube as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, and / or a nozzle assembly as described in claim 9; the material rack is used to place the consumable to be processed, and the material rack cooperates with the guide tube so that the guide tube can transport the consumable on the material rack.

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