A 3D printing head in a horizontal configuration

Abstract

This application relates to a horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle, comprising a horizontally positioned mixing cylinder, a drive mechanism, a first screw, and a nozzle. The mixing cylinder includes a feeding section and a heating section arranged sequentially. The feeding section has a feed inlet communicating with the inner cavity of the mixing cylinder, and a heating block is arranged on the outer periphery of the heating section. The first screw is disposed inside the mixing cylinder and penetrates the inner cavity of the mixing cylinder. The front end of the first screw is connected to the drive mechanism, and the spiral groove depth near the front end of the first screw is greater than the spiral groove depth near the rear end. The heating block has a first cavity located at the extended section at the end of the mixing cylinder and a second cavity perpendicular to the first cavity and communicating with the outside. The end of the first screw extends into the first cavity, and the nozzle is installed in the second cavity. This horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle integrates feeding, mixing, and extrusion into a single design, solving the problems of slow extrusion, uneven extrusion volume, and even nozzle clogging of high-viscosity materials during the printing process. It is also small in size and simple in structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of 3D printing technology, and in particular to a horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, 3D printing technology (additive manufacturing technology) has developed rapidly and has been widely used in aerospace, automotive manufacturing, medical devices, construction and other fields. The core of 3D printing technology lies in the diversification of materials and the improvement of printing accuracy. However, existing 3D printers still face many limitations and challenges when handling high-viscosity materials.

[0003] High-viscosity materials (such as polymer composites, ceramic slurries, and metal pastes) have significant application value in the manufacture of high-performance parts due to their excellent properties. However, these materials typically exhibit high viscosity, low flowability, and high shear sensitivity, leading to problems during printing such as difficult material delivery, slow or uneven extrusion, and nozzle accumulation or clogging. This results in poor interlayer bonding, affecting print continuity and accuracy, and hindering the widespread application of high-viscosity materials in 3D printing. Existing 3D printing nozzle designs are mostly optimized for low- or medium-viscosity materials, making it difficult to meet the printing requirements of high-viscosity materials. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, the purpose of this utility model is to overcome the problems of difficult conveying, slow extrusion or uneven extrusion amount and easy clogging of nozzles in the 3D printing process of high viscosity materials, and to provide a horizontal 3D printing nozzle that integrates feeding, mixing and extrusion into one design, which can be used to print high viscosity materials, improve printing efficiency and printing effect, and has a small size and simple structure.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0006] A horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle is provided, comprising a horizontally positioned mixing cylinder, a drive mechanism, a first screw, and a nozzle. The mixing cylinder includes a feeding section and a heating section arranged sequentially. The feeding section has a feed inlet communicating with the inner cavity of the mixing cylinder, and a heating block is arranged on the outer periphery of the heating section. The first screw is disposed inside the mixing cylinder and penetrates the inner cavity of the mixing cylinder. The front end of the first screw is connected to the drive mechanism, and the spiral groove depth near the front end of the first screw is greater than the spiral groove depth near the rear end. The heating block has a first cavity located at the extended end of the mixing cylinder and a second cavity perpendicular to the first cavity and communicating with the outside. The end of the first screw extends into the first cavity, and the nozzle is installed in the second cavity. Preferably, the heating block is made of a metal material to improve its thermal conductivity, so that the high-viscosity material in the mixing cylinder and the nozzle is heated more evenly.

[0007] In the above technical solution, the heating block encloses the heating section of the mixing cylinder. A nozzle is installed inside the heating block below the end of the first screw. During printing, the heating block heats the heating section of the mixing cylinder, ensuring more uniform heating of the high-viscosity material. Simultaneously, the heating block also heats the nozzle, keeping the high-viscosity material molten at the nozzle, allowing it to be smoothly extruded and preventing nozzle clogging. Furthermore, the larger spiral groove depth at the front end of the first screw reduces material accumulation, improves conveying efficiency, and achieves high-efficiency conveying. The smaller spiral groove depth at the rear end prevents degradation caused by melt pressure, ensuring controllable melting. Moreover, the smaller spiral groove depth in the heating section allows for better contact between the high-viscosity material and the heating block, resulting in more uniform heating. By using a horizontal design for the mixing cylinder and positioning the nozzle below the end of the first screw, the first screw conveys the high-viscosity material to the first cavity and out through the nozzle located in the second cavity, reducing the volume occupied by the printhead and saving installation space. Therefore, the horizontal 3D printing nozzle of this utility model realizes the integrated design of feeding, mixing and extrusion, which improves the conveying efficiency and mixing uniformity of high viscosity materials in the printing process, solves the problems of difficult conveying of high viscosity materials, slow extrusion, uneven extrusion amount and even nozzle clogging, and has a small overall size and simple structure.

[0008] Furthermore, the drive mechanism includes a first motor and a synchronous belt drive mechanism connecting the first motor and the first screw. The first motor and the mixing cylinder are both located on the same side of the synchronous belt drive mechanism and are arranged in parallel. The first motor drives the synchronous belt drive mechanism to rotate, thereby driving the first screw to rotate, so that the raw material is extruded from the feeding section to the heating section, and finally extruded from the nozzle. Having the first motor and the mixing cylinder both located on the same side of the synchronous belt drive mechanism and arranged in parallel allows for a more compact overall device structure and saves installation space.

[0009] Furthermore, the synchronous belt drive mechanism includes a driving pulley, a driven pulley, and a synchronous belt. The first motor is connected to the output shaft of the driving pulley, and the front end of the first screw is connected to the output shaft of the driven pulley. The first motor drives the driving pulley to move, and transmits power to the driven pulley through the synchronous belt. The movement of the driven pulley then drives the first screw to rotate, ultimately achieving the propulsion of the raw material.

[0010] Furthermore, the heating section includes a compression section and a discharge section, and the spiral groove depth of the first screw in the compression section gradually decreases from the front end to the rear end. The variable spiral groove depth design of the first screw can accurately match the needs of each stage of raw material processing, changing it from deep to shallow, which can realize the mixing and stirring function of the printing process, making the raw material more uniformly mixed and the printing smoother.

[0011] Furthermore, the heating block is provided with a first heating block group and a second heating block group. The first heating block group is located on the outer periphery of the compression section, and the second heating block group is located on the outer periphery of the discharge section. The heating power of the second heating block group is greater than that of the first heating block group. This arrangement ensures that the flowability of the raw material in the discharge section is greater than that in the compression section, making it easier and more uniform to extrude high-viscosity materials during printing, thus reducing the risk of nozzle clogging. Preferably, the first and second heating block groups may include a plurality of heating rods evenly distributed along the axial direction of the mixing cylinder. When heating rods with the same heating power are used, the number of heating rods in the second heating block group can be greater than that in the first heating block group. When heating rods with different heating powers are used, if the heating power of the heating rods in the first heating block group is greater, the number of heating rods in the first heating block group can be less than that in the second heating block group; conversely, if the heating power of the heating rods in the second heating block group is greater, the number of heating rods in the second heating block group can be less than that in the first heating block group, thereby achieving a heating power greater than that of the first heating block group.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes a pressurized feeding mechanism for pressurizing the raw material, which is connected to the feed port. By pressurizing the raw material using the pressurized feeding mechanism, the flow of high-viscosity materials can be propelled to assist feeding, thereby improving the conveying efficiency and mixing uniformity of high-viscosity materials during the printing process.

[0013] Furthermore, a mounting block is provided on the outer periphery of the feeding section of the mixing cylinder. The mounting block has a material channel communicating with the feeding port. The mounting block is used to mount and fix the pressurized feeding mechanism, which communicates with the feeding port through the material channel. In addition, since the raw material in the feeding section is in solid granular or powder form, or a high-viscosity mixture, while the raw material in the compression and discharge sections is in a molten state, different temperatures need to be maintained between the feeding, compression, and discharge sections. Therefore, setting the mounting block and heating block separately can reduce heat conduction and help with heat dissipation in the feeding section and temperature maintenance in the compression and discharge sections. Additionally, the mounting block can also be used to mount and fix the mixing cylinder.

[0014] Furthermore, the pressurized feeding mechanism includes a material cylinder, a piston slidably disposed within the material cylinder, and a driving air source communicating with the internal space above the piston in the material cylinder. The bottom of the material cylinder is connected to the feed inlet via the material channel. The air source drives the piston to move relative to the material cylinder, and compressed air enters the feeding section of the mixing cylinder from the feed inlet. By coupling air pressure with the rheological properties of the raw material, the high-viscosity material is propelled to flow, assisting feeding and thereby improving the conveying efficiency and mixing uniformity of the high-viscosity material during the printing process. Additionally, the material cylinder can temporarily store the raw material.

[0015] Furthermore, the piston has a recessed portion on its top to facilitate contact and drive with the driving gas source. The recessed portion increases the contact area between the gas and the piston, and also facilitates the gas-driven piston sliding relative to the barrel. Through the relative movement of the piston and the barrel, the air is compressed, thereby propelling the high-viscosity material to flow and assist in feeding.

[0016] Furthermore, the pressurized feeding mechanism includes a second screw and a second motor connected to the upper end of the second screw. The external thread at the lower end of the second screw at least partially extends into the material channel. The second screw has a helical structure and is a mechanical device that achieves material conveying, compression, mixing, or transmission through rotational motion. Its core principle is to utilize the helical geometry to convert rotational motion into axial propulsive force, thereby achieving directional flow of raw materials. The second motor drives the second screw to extrude and drive the raw material feeding, thereby promoting the flow of high-viscosity materials to achieve auxiliary feeding.

[0017] Furthermore, the pressurized feeding mechanism also includes a hopper, the bottom of which is connected to the feed inlet via the feed channel. A second screw is inserted into the hopper, with its bottom end not exceeding the bottom surface of the feed channel. The hopper can temporarily store raw materials. The second screw, inserted into the hopper, compresses the raw materials in the hopper, driving them through the feed channel into the feed inlet and then into the inner cavity of the mixing cylinder. The bottom end of the second screw is not higher than the bottom surface of the feed channel; that is, the bottom end of the second screw is flush with or lower than the bottom surface of the feed channel. This arrangement allows for more thorough feeding, making it easier for the raw materials in the hopper to enter the feeding section of the mixing cylinder, and facilitating the first screw's feeding action.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0019] (1) The horizontal 3D printing nozzle of this utility model integrates feeding, mixing and extrusion into one design. By setting a horizontal mixing cylinder, a heating block is set on the outer periphery of the heating section of the mixing cylinder. A nozzle is installed in the heating block below the end of the first screw. At least part of the nozzle is located in the heating block. During the printing process, the heating section of the mixing cylinder and the nozzle are heated by the action of the heating block. Combined with the variable screw groove depth design of the first screw, the high viscosity material can be heated more evenly, which improves the conveying efficiency and mixing uniformity of the high viscosity material during the printing process. It solves the problems of slow extrusion, uneven extrusion amount and even nozzle clogging of high viscosity materials. In addition, it also reduces the space occupied by the printing nozzle, making the printing nozzle smaller and the overall structure compact and simple.

[0020] (3) The horizontal extrusion nozzle of the 3D printer of this utility model pressurizes the raw material during feeding by setting a pressurized feeding mechanism, which promotes the flow of high viscosity material to assist feeding, and further improves the conveying efficiency and mixing uniformity of high viscosity material during the printing process. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle in Example 1;

[0022] Figure 2 for Figure 1 AA section view in the middle;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a first-view structural diagram of a horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle in Example 2;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of a horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle from a second perspective in Example 2;

[0025] Figure 5 for Figure 4 BB section view in the middle;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a first-view structural schematic diagram of a horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle in Example 3;

[0027] Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of a horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle from a second perspective in Example 3;

[0028] Figure 8 for Figure 7 CC section view in the image.

[0029] The markings in the diagram are explained as follows:

[0030] 1. Mixing cylinder; 11. Feeding section; 111. Feed inlet; 12. Compression section; 13. Discharge section; 14. Clamping block; 2. Drive mechanism; 21. First motor; 22. Synchronous belt drive mechanism; 221. Driving wheel; 222. Driven wheel; 223. Synchronous belt; 3. First screw; 4. Nozzle; 5. Heating block; 51. First cavity; 52. Second cavity; 6. Pressurized feeding mechanism; 61. Cylinder; 62. Piston; 621. Recess; 63. Second screw; 64. Second motor; 65. Hopper; 66. Coupling; 7. Mounting block; 71. Connecting block; 8. First mounting plate; 9. Second mounting plate. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only, representing schematic diagrams rather than actual physical objects, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this patent. To better illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, some components in the drawings may be omitted, enlarged, or reduced, and do not represent the actual dimensions of the product. It is understandable to those skilled in the art that some well-known structures and their descriptions may be omitted in the drawings.

[0032] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0033] In the accompanying drawings of this utility model, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "front," and "rear" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting this patent. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0034] Example 1

[0035] like Figures 1 to 2 The illustration shows a first embodiment of a horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle of this invention, comprising a horizontally positioned mixing cylinder 1, a drive mechanism 2, a first screw 3, and a nozzle 4. The mixing cylinder 1 includes a feeding section 11 and a heating section arranged sequentially. The feeding section 11 has a feed inlet 111 communicating with the inner cavity of the mixing cylinder 1, and a heating block 5 is arranged on the outer periphery of the heating section. The first screw 3 is disposed inside the mixing cylinder 1 and penetrates the inner cavity of the mixing cylinder 1. The front end of the first screw 3 is connected to the drive mechanism 2, and the spiral groove depth near the front end of the first screw 3 is greater than the spiral groove depth near the rear end. The heating block 5 has a first cavity 51 located at the extended section at the end of the mixing cylinder 1 and a second cavity 52 perpendicular to the first cavity 51 and communicating with the outside. The end of the first screw 3 extends into the first cavity 51, and the nozzle 4 is installed in the second cavity 52. ​​In this embodiment, the heating block 5 is made of metal to improve its thermal conductivity, so that the high-viscosity material in the mixing cylinder 1 and the nozzle 4 is heated more evenly.

[0036] The drive mechanism 2 includes a first motor 21 and a synchronous belt drive mechanism 22 connecting the first motor 21 and the first screw 3. The first motor 21 and the mixing cylinder 1 are both located on the same side of the synchronous belt drive mechanism 22 and are arranged in parallel. Figure 3 As shown, both the first motor 21 and the mixing cylinder 1 are located on the right side of the synchronous belt drive mechanism 22. The first motor 21 drives the synchronous belt drive mechanism 22, which in turn drives the first screw 3 to rotate, causing the raw material to be extruded from the feeding section 11 to the heating section, and finally extruded from the nozzle 4. Positioning the first motor 21 and the mixing cylinder 1 on the same side of the synchronous belt drive mechanism 22 and arranging them parallel to each other allows for a more compact overall device structure and saves installation space. Furthermore, the synchronous belt drive mechanism 22 includes a driving pulley 221, a driven pulley 222, and a synchronous belt 223. The first motor 21 is connected to the output shaft of the driving pulley 221, and the front end of the first screw 3 is connected to the output shaft of the driven pulley 222. The first motor 21 drives the driving pulley 221, transmitting power to the driven pulley 222 via the synchronous belt 223. The driven pulley 222 then drives the first screw 3 to rotate, ultimately propelling the raw material.

[0037] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 As shown, to facilitate the installation and fixing of the drive mechanism 2, heating block 5, etc., a first mounting plate 8 and a second mounting plate 9 are also included, which are vertically arranged. The first mounting plate 8 and the second mounting plate 9 can be integrally formed or separately set and then fixedly connected. The first mounting plate 8 is used to install and fix the drive mechanism 2, and the second mounting plate 9 is used to install and fix the heating block 5, thereby fixing the mixing cylinder 1; the first motor 21 and the mixing cylinder 1 are installed on the same side of the first mounting plate 8, so that both are located on the same side of the synchronous belt drive mechanism 22 and are arranged in parallel.

[0038] The heating section includes a compression section 12 and a discharge section 13. The spiral groove depth of the first screw 3 near its front end is greater than that near its rear end. There are various ways to set the spiral groove depth, including the spiral groove depth of the first screw 3 gradually decreasing from the front end to the rear end, or the spiral groove depth of a segment of the first screw 3 gradually decreasing from the front end to the rear end, or a stepped decrease between multiple segments, or a combination of stepped and gradually decreasing depths. In this embodiment, the spiral groove depth of the first screw 3 in the compression section 12 gradually decreases from the front end to the rear end; more specifically, the spiral groove depth of the first screw 3 in the feeding section 11 is equal to and greater than or equal to the maximum spiral groove depth in the compression section 12, and the spiral groove depth of the first screw 3 in the discharge section 13 is equal to and less than or equal to the minimum spiral groove depth in the compression section 12. Figure 2 As shown.

[0039] The heating block 5 is equipped with a first heating block group and a second heating block group. The first heating block group is located on the outer periphery of the compression section 12, and the second heating block group is located on the outer periphery of the discharge section 13. The heating power of the second heating block group is greater than that of the first heating block group. This arrangement ensures that the material flowability in the discharge section 13 is greater than that in the compression section 12, making it easier and more uniform to extrude high-viscosity materials during printing, thus reducing the risk of nozzle 4 clogging. Furthermore, the first and second heating block groups may include several heating rods evenly distributed along the axial direction of the mixing cylinder 1. When using heating rods with the same heating power, the number of heating rods in the second heating block group can be greater than that in the first heating block group. When using heating rods with different heating powers, if the heating power of the heating rods in the first heating block group is higher, the number of heating rods in the first heating block group can be less than that in the second heating block group; conversely, if the heating power of the heating rods in the second heating block group is higher, the number of heating rods in the second heating block group can be less than that in the first heating block group, thereby achieving a heating power greater than that of the first heating block group. In this embodiment, one heating rod is distributed around the outer periphery of the compression section 12, and two heating rods are distributed around the outer periphery of the discharge section 13. All three heating rods have the same heating power. Figure 2 As shown. In addition, in this embodiment, a limiting step is provided at the front end of the heating block 5, and a locking block 14 is provided on the outer sleeve of the mixing cylinder 1. The locking block 14 abuts against the limiting step to limit the position of the heating block 5, thereby preventing accidental movement of the heating block 5 and the mixing cylinder 1 after installation.

[0040] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows: During the conveying process of high-viscosity material through the first screw 3 with variable spiral groove depth, the first screw 3 can precisely match the requirements of each stage of raw material processing, changing its depth from deep to shallow. This enables the mixing function during the printing process, resulting in more uniform material mixing and smoother printing. Specifically, the spiral groove depth of the first screw 3 is larger in the feeding section 11, reducing raw material accumulation, improving conveying efficiency, and achieving high-efficiency conveying. In the compression section 12, the spiral groove depth gradually decreases, preventing degradation of the melt due to pressure and ensuring controllable melting. In the discharge section 13, the spiral groove depth further decreases, homogenizing pressure, reducing finished product defects such as bubbles and flow marks, and achieving stable output. Simultaneously, because the spiral groove depth of the first screw 3 in the heating section is smaller, the high-viscosity material can better contact the heating block 5 in the heating section, resulting in more uniform heating. Furthermore, the heating block 5 also heats the nozzle 4, keeping the high-viscosity material in a molten state at the nozzle 4, allowing it to be smoothly extruded from the nozzle 4 and preventing nozzle clogging. The nozzle 4 is positioned below the end of the first screw 3, which delivers the high-viscosity material to the first cavity 51 and out of the nozzle 4 located in the second cavity 52.

[0041] The beneficial effects of this embodiment are as follows: The horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle of this utility model integrates feeding, mixing, and extrusion into one design. By setting a horizontally positioned mixing cylinder, a heating block is set on the outer periphery of the heating section of the mixing cylinder, and a nozzle is installed inside the heating block corresponding to the lower end of the first screw. During the printing process, the heating block heats the heating section of the mixing cylinder and the nozzle. Combined with the variable screw groove depth design of the first screw, the high-viscosity material can be heated more evenly, improving the conveying efficiency and mixing uniformity of the high-viscosity material during the printing process. This solves the problems of slow extrusion, uneven extrusion volume, and even nozzle clogging of high-viscosity materials. In addition, it reduces the space occupied by the printing nozzle, making the printing nozzle miniaturized, and the overall structure compact and simple.

[0042] Example 2

[0043] like Figures 3 to 5 The illustration shows a second embodiment of a horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle of this invention. The difference from embodiment 1 is that it further includes a pressurizing feeding mechanism 6 for pressurizing the raw material. A mounting block 7 is provided on the outer periphery of the feeding section 11 of the mixing cylinder 1. The mounting block 7 has a material channel communicating with the feeding port 111. The pressurizing feeding mechanism 6 is connected to the feeding port 111 through the material channel. The pressurizing feeding mechanism 6 includes an actuator and a driving mechanism for driving the actuator. The actuator is connected to the feeding port 111.

[0044] The pressurized feeding mechanism 6 applies pressure during raw material feeding, which promotes the flow of high-viscosity materials to assist feeding, thereby improving the conveying efficiency and mixing uniformity of high-viscosity materials during printing. Then, the first drive mechanism 2 drives the first screw 3 to heat and melt the raw material sequentially from the feeding section 11 through the compression section 12, and finally extrudes it from the nozzle 4 of the discharge section 13 for printing, improving printing efficiency and printing effect. The pressurized feeding mechanism 6 can be set perpendicular to the mixing cylinder 1, which allows the pressurized feeding mechanism 6 to better act on the raw material. To the knowledge of those skilled in the art, the pressurized feeding mechanism 6 can also be set at an inclined angle to the mixing cylinder 1 to meet the customer's installation space requirements.

[0045] An installation block 7 is provided on the outer periphery of the feeding section 11 of the mixing cylinder 1, such as Figure 3As shown, specifically, the mounting block 7 is divided into upper and lower parts, with an arc-shaped groove inside. The two arc-shaped grooves, when joined together, form a circular through-hole that matches the shape of the mixing cylinder 1. This arrangement facilitates the installation of the mounting block 7 and the mixing cylinder 1. Since the raw material in the feeding section 11 is in a solid granular or powdery state, or a high-viscosity mixture, while the raw material in the heating section is in a molten state, different temperatures need to be maintained between the feeding section 11 and the heating section. Therefore, setting the mounting block 7 and the heating block 5 separately reduces heat conduction, aiding in heat dissipation in the feeding section 11 and temperature maintenance in the heating section. To facilitate heat dissipation in the feeding section 11, fins are also provided on the outer side of the mounting block 7, which helps to cool down and maintain the solid granular or powdery state, or the high-viscosity mixture state of the raw material.

[0046] As one embodiment of this utility model, such as Figure 4 The pressurized feeding mechanism 6 includes a material cylinder 61, a piston 62 slidably disposed within the material cylinder 61, and a driving air source (only the pipe connected to the driving air source is shown in the figure) connecting the internal space above the piston 62 in the material cylinder 61. The bottom of the material cylinder 61 is connected to the feed port 111 through the material channel in the mounting block 7. The material cylinder 61 and piston 62 are the actuators, and the driving air source is the driving mechanism. The piston 62 is driven by the air source to move relative to the material cylinder 61. Compressed air enters the feeding section 11 of the mixing cylinder 1 from the feed port 111. By coupling the air pressure with the rheological properties of the raw material, the high-viscosity material is propelled to flow to assist feeding, thereby improving the conveying efficiency and mixing uniformity of the high-viscosity material during the printing process.

[0047] In this embodiment, the material cylinder 61 is vertically arranged, and its central axis is perpendicular to the central axis of the mixing cylinder 1. The material cylinder 61 is hollow and open at both ends. The bottom of the material cylinder 61 is inserted into the material channel in the mounting block 7 and connected to the feed inlet 111 of the mixing cylinder 1, so that the hollow interior of the material cylinder 61 is connected to the feeding section 11. The mounting block 7 is threadedly connected to the bottom of the material cylinder 61. Specifically, the mounting block 7 also has a hollow connecting block 71 in its material channel. The lower end of the connecting block 71 is inserted into the upper mounting block 7 and threadedly connected to it, and connected to the feed inlet 111. The upper end of the connecting block 71 is threadedly connected to the bottom of the material cylinder 61 to form a seal. The material cylinder 61 is divided into sections according to the position of the piston 62. The upper section of the material cylinder 61 is driven by the gas of the driving air source to drive the piston 62. The lower section of the material cylinder 61 has a temporary material storage function. The piston 62 compresses the raw material, allowing it to smoothly enter the feeding section 11. Furthermore, the top of the piston 62 is provided with a recessed portion 621 to facilitate contact and drive with the driving air source. The two sides of the piston 62 abut against the inner wall of the barrel 61 to form a seal. The recessed portion 621 is a downwardly recessed groove. The setting of the recessed portion 621 increases the contact area between the gas and the piston 62, and at the same time facilitates the gas to drive the piston 62 to slide relative to the barrel 61. Through the relative movement of the piston 62 and the barrel 61, the air is compressed, thereby pushing the high-viscosity material to flow to assist feeding. The lower end of the hollow barrel 61 is a conical structure, and the lower end of the barrel 61 is provided with a feeding channel. The bottom of the piston 62 is set with a shape adapted to the conical structure, and a downwardly protruding protrusion is provided at the bottom of the conical structure. The outer diameter of the protrusion is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the feeding channel at the lower end of the barrel 61, thereby extruding the raw material into the channel.

[0048] The remaining features and working principles of this embodiment are the same as those of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2.

[0049] Example 3

[0050] like Figures 6 to 8 As shown, this embodiment is similar to embodiment 2, except that the form of the pressurized feeding mechanism 6 is different.

[0051] In this embodiment, the pressurized feeding mechanism 6 includes a second screw 63 and a second motor 64 connected to the upper end of the second screw 63. At least a portion of the external thread at the lower end of the second screw 63 extends into the material channel in the mounting block 7. The second screw 63 is the actuator, and the second motor 64 is the drive mechanism. A coupling 66 is provided between the second screw 63 and the second motor 64 to transmit motion and torque, and to absorb vibration and impact, thereby improving the stability of the rotation of the second screw 63. The second screw 63 has a helical structure and is a mechanical device that achieves material conveying, compression, mixing, or transmission through rotational motion. Its core principle is to utilize the helical geometry to convert rotational motion into axial propulsion force, thereby achieving directional flow of materials. The second motor 64 drives the second screw 63 to extrude and drive the raw material feeding, thereby promoting the flow of high-viscosity materials to achieve feeding.

[0052] Furthermore, the pressurized feeding mechanism 6 also includes a hopper 65. The bottom end of the hopper 65 is connected to the feed inlet 111 through the material channel in the mounting block 7. The second screw 63 is inserted into the hopper 65, and the bottom end of the second screw 63 is not higher than the bottom surface of the material channel. Specifically, the bottom end of the hopper 65 is threadedly connected to the material channel in the upper mounting block 7 to form a seal. The hopper 65 can temporarily store raw materials. The second screw 63 is inserted into the hopper 65 and then into the material channel in the mounting block 7. The second screw 63 squeezes the raw materials in the hopper 65, driving them through the material channel into the feed inlet 111 and then into the inner cavity of the mixing cylinder 1. The bottom end of the second screw 63 is not higher than the bottom surface of the material channel, that is, the bottom end of the second screw 63 is flush with or lower than the bottom surface of the material channel. This setting allows for more complete feeding, making it easier for the raw materials in the hopper 65 to enter the feeding section 11 of the mixing cylinder 1, and facilitating the first screw 3 to push the feeding.

[0053] The remaining features and working principles of this embodiment are the same as those of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2.

[0054] Obviously, the above embodiments of this utility model are merely examples for clearly illustrating this utility model, and are not intended to limit the implementation of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle, characterized in that, The device includes a horizontally placed mixing cylinder (1), a drive mechanism (2), a first screw (3), and a nozzle (4); the mixing cylinder (1) includes a feeding section (11) and a heating section arranged in sequence. The feeding section (11) is provided with a feed port (111) that communicates with the inner cavity of the mixing cylinder (1), and a heating block (5) is provided on the outer periphery of the heating section; the first screw (3) is disposed in the mixing cylinder (1) and penetrates the inner cavity of the mixing cylinder (1). The front end of the first screw (3) is connected to the drive mechanism (2). The spiral groove depth of the first screw (3) near the front end is greater than the spiral groove depth near the rear end; the heating block (5) is provided with a first cavity (51) located in the extended section at the end of the mixing cylinder (1) and a second cavity (52) that is perpendicular to the first cavity (51) and communicates with the outside. The end of the first screw (3) extends into the first cavity (51), and the nozzle (4) is installed in the second cavity (52).

2. The horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism (2) includes a first motor (21) and a synchronous belt drive mechanism (22) connecting the first motor (21) and the first screw (3). The first motor (21) and the mixing cylinder (1) are both located on the same side of the synchronous belt drive mechanism (22) and are arranged in parallel.

3. The horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating section includes a compression section (12) and a discharge section (13), and the spiral groove depth of the first screw (3) in the compression section (12) gradually decreases from the front end to the rear end.

4. The horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle according to claim 3, characterized in that, The heating block (5) is provided with a first heating block group and a second heating block group. The first heating block group is located on the outer periphery of the compression section (12), and the second heating block group is located on the outer periphery of the discharge section (13). The heating power of the second heating block group is greater than that of the first heating block group.

5. The horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, It also includes a pressurized feeding mechanism (6) for pressurizing the raw materials, the pressurized feeding mechanism (6) being connected to the feed port (111).

6. The horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle according to claim 5, characterized in that, An installation block (7) is provided on the outer periphery of the feeding section (11) of the mixing cylinder (1). The installation block (7) is provided with a material channel communicating with the feeding port (111). The installation block (7) is used to install and fix the pressurized feeding mechanism (6). The pressurized feeding mechanism (6) is connected to the feeding port (111) through the material channel.

7. The horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pressurized feeding mechanism (6) includes a material cylinder (61), a piston (62) slidably disposed in the material cylinder (61), and a driving air source communicating with the internal space above the piston (62) in the material cylinder (61). The bottom of the material cylinder (61) is connected to the feed port (111) through the material channel.

8. The horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle according to claim 7, characterized in that, The piston (62) has a recess (621) on its top to facilitate contact and drive by the driving air source.

9. The horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pressurized feeding mechanism (6) includes a second screw (63) and a second motor (64) connected to the upper end of the second screw (63), wherein the external thread at the lower end of the second screw (63) extends at least partially into the feed channel.

10. The horizontally positioned 3D printing nozzle according to claim 9, characterized in that, The pressurized feeding mechanism (6) also includes a hopper (65), the bottom end of which is connected to the feed inlet (111) through the feed channel, and the second screw (63) is inserted into the hopper (65), the bottom end of which is not higher than the bottom surface of the feed channel.

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