An air duct structure for use in the print head of a 3D printer

Abstract

This invention addresses the drawback of existing dual-airflow structures, which suffer from large dead zones leading to poor heat dissipation and consequently poor printing quality. It provides an airflow structure for a 3D printer printhead, comprising a fixed cover surrounding the printhead, a fan mounted on the fixed cover, and an air guide shroud directing the airflow from the fan. The air guide shroud includes a housing with three air outlets at its lower end. The housing has an opening communicating with the fan's air outlet. Inside the housing, a partition divides the inner cavity into three airflow channels. Each of the three air outlets communicates with one of the three airflow channels, and each airflow channel communicates with the fan's air outlet through an opening. Two of the air outlets are symmetrically arranged, and the third air outlet is located on the side between the first two outlets. This airflow structure, with its three airflow channels and corresponding air outlets, effectively reduces the dead zone area, improves heat dissipation, and thus enhances printing quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of 3D printer accessories, specifically relating to an air duct structure for use in the print head of a 3D printer. Background Technology

[0002] 3D printers, also known as three-dimensional printers, are rapid prototyping devices. 3D printing technology is widely used in various industries. Common 3D printer consumables include materials such as ABS. The consumable is transported through an extrusion mechanism inside the print head, heated to a molten state by a heater, and then extruded through nozzles on the print head onto the work platform for printing.

[0003] To enable the filament extruded from the printhead to form faster and improve printing quality, a cooling fan and air duct structure are generally used to cool the extruded filament. Existing air duct structures generally only have two air ducts and only two air outlets to blow air to the bottom of the printhead for heat dissipation, which creates certain dead corners. The airflow for heat dissipation blows directly into the dead corners, resulting in relatively poor printing quality. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention addresses the drawback of existing dual-air duct structures, which have large dead zones leading to poor heat dissipation and consequently poor printing results. It provides an air duct structure for the print head of a 3D printer. This air duct structure has three air ducts and is equipped with three corresponding air outlets, which can effectively reduce the dead zone area, improve heat dissipation, and thus improve printing results.

[0005] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution: an air duct structure for a 3D printer printhead, comprising a fixed cover surrounding the 3D printer printhead, a fan mounted on the fixed cover, and an air guide shroud for guiding the air blown out by the fan. The air guide shroud includes a hollow shell, with three air outlets arranged around the nozzles on the 3D printer printhead at the lower end of the shell. The shell has an opening communicating with the fan's air outlet. Inside the shell, there is a partition that divides the inner cavity of the shell into three air ducts. The three air outlets are respectively connected to the three air ducts, and each air duct is connected to the fan's air outlet through an opening. Of the three air outlets, two are symmetrically arranged, and the third air outlet is located on the side between the first two air outlets.

[0006] Preferably, the three air outlets are oriented at an angle downwards relative to the horizontal plane.

[0007] Preferably, the third air outlet is oriented at an angle relative to the plane of symmetry of the two symmetrically arranged air outlets.

[0008] Preferably, both the fixing cover and the housing are C-shaped or U-shaped structures, and the notches of the fixing cover and the housing face the same direction. Of the three air outlets, two air outlets are symmetrically arranged at the bottom of both ends of the housing, and the third air outlet is arranged at the bottom of the middle section of the housing.

[0009] Preferably, the cover includes an upper shell and a lower shell that are spliced ​​together vertically. The upper shell is fixedly located at the bottom of the fixed cover. The opening is located on the upper shell. The lower shell is detachably connected to the upper shell. The separator is composed of two parts, upper and lower, which are spliced ​​together and fixedly located inside the upper shell and the lower shell, respectively.

[0010] Preferably, the separator has a Y-shaped cross-section and is positioned in the middle section of the casing.

[0011] Preferably, the lower end of the upper housing is provided with a slot, and a buckle is fixedly provided inside the upper housing. The upper end of the lower housing is embedded in the slot, and a block that engages with the buckle is fixedly provided on the lower housing.

[0012] Preferably, connecting posts are fixedly provided inside both the upper and lower housings, with the connecting posts in the upper housing and the lower housing corresponding one-to-one. A first screw is also provided between the upper and lower housings, passing through the connecting post in the lower housing and screwing into the connecting post in the upper housing.

[0013] Preferably, the fixing cover is also fixedly provided with a connecting ear, and the connecting ear is provided with a second screw that passes through the connecting ear and is screwed into the lower housing. The orientation of the second screw is perpendicular to the orientation of the first screw.

[0014] Preferably, the fan is fixedly mounted inside the fixed cover by a third screw, and the fixed cover is provided with a through groove, the air inlet of the fan is connected to the through groove; an elastic sealing ring is also provided between the fan and the cover, the upper end of the elastic sealing ring is pressed against the edge of the air outlet of the fan, and the lower end of the elastic sealing ring is pressed against the edge of the opening of the cover.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0016] 1. This utility model is equipped with three air ducts and three corresponding air outlets, which can blow out heat dissipation airflow from different directions to the area below the nozzle of the 3D printer, effectively reducing the dead zone area, improving the heat dissipation effect, achieving rapid cooling, and thus improving the printing effect.

[0017] 2. The air guide cover adopts a connection method of splicing the upper shell and the lower shell, and is equipped with a Y-shaped partition composed of the upper and lower parts, which optimizes the overall structure of the air guide cover and forms a three-air duct structure. The structure is simpler and easier to process.

[0018] 3. The upper and lower shells are connected by a three-link structure, making the installation tighter and more secure, which helps to maintain the sealing of the connection between the upper and lower shells. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is the front view of the present utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the present invention after the fan has been removed;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a bottom view of the present invention after the fan has been removed;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the outer casing and the upper casing.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional view of the lower shell;

[0024] The markings in the diagram are: 1. Fixed cover, 2. Fan, 3. Cover, 4. Air outlet, 5. Opening, 6. Divider, 7. Upper housing, 8. Lower housing, 9. Slot, 10. Buckle, 11. Block, 12. Connecting post, 13. First screw, 14. Connecting ear, 15. Second screw, 16. Through groove, 17. Elastic sealing ring, 18. Third screw. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings:

[0026] Example 1

[0027] like Figure 1 As shown, an air duct structure for a 3D printer printhead includes a fixed cover 1 surrounding the 3D printer printhead, a fan 2 mounted on the fixed cover 1, and an air guide shroud for guiding the air blown out by the fan 2. The air guide shroud includes a hollow shell 3. The lower end of the shell 3 has three air outlets 4 arranged around the nozzles on the 3D printer printhead. The shell 3 has an opening 5 communicating with the air outlet of the fan 2. The shell 3 has a partition 6 that divides the inner cavity of the shell 3 into three air ducts. The three air outlets 4 are respectively connected to the three air ducts. Each air duct is connected to the air outlet of the fan 2 through the opening 5. Among the three air outlets 4, two air outlets 4 are symmetrically arranged, and the third air outlet 4 is located on the side between the first two air outlets 4, that is, the three air outlets 4 are distributed in a triangular shape. The three air outlets 4 are inclined downward relative to the horizontal plane. The downward inclination angle of the two symmetrically arranged air outlets 4 is 119°, and the downward inclination angle of the third air outlet 4 is 113°. Furthermore, the orientation of the third air outlet 4 is tilted relative to the symmetrical plane of the two symmetrically arranged air outlets 4.

[0028] like Figures 2-5 As shown, both the fixed cover 1 and the housing 3 are C-shaped or U-shaped structures, and the notches of the fixed cover 1 and the housing 3 face the same direction. Of the three air outlets 4, two symmetrically arranged air outlets 4 are respectively located at the bottom of both ends of the housing 3, and the third air outlet 4 is located at the bottom of the middle section of the housing 3. The housing 3 includes an upper housing 7 and a lower housing 8 that are spliced ​​together vertically. The upper housing 7 is fixedly located at the bottom of the fixed cover 1, and the opening 5 is located on the upper housing 7. The lower housing 8 is detachably connected to the upper housing 7. The separator 6 has a Y-shaped cross-section and is located in the middle section of the housing 3. The separator 6 is composed of upper and lower parts spliced ​​together, and the upper and lower parts of the separator 6 are respectively fixed inside the upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8. The air guide cover adopts the connection method of splicing the upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8, and cooperates with the Y-shaped separator 6 formed by splicing the upper and lower parts, so that the overall structure of the air guide cover is optimized, forming a three-air duct structure, which is simpler and easier to process.

[0029] like Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the lower end of the upper housing 7 is provided with a slot 9, and a buckle 10 is fixedly provided inside the upper housing 7. The upper end of the lower housing 8 is embedded in the slot 9, and a locking block 11 that engages with the buckle 10 is fixedly provided on the lower housing 8. Connecting posts 12 are fixedly provided inside both the upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8, and the connecting posts 12 in the upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8 correspond one-to-one. A first screw 13 is also provided between the upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8, passing through the connecting post 12 in the lower housing 8 and screwed onto the connecting post 12 in the upper housing 7. A connecting ear 14 is also fixedly provided on the fixing cover 1, and a second screw 15 passes through the connecting ear 14 and screws onto the lower housing 8. The orientation of the second screw 15 is perpendicular to the orientation of the first screw 13. When assembling the housing 3, the upper end of the lower housing 8 can be first inserted into the slot 9 at the lower end of the upper housing 7. At this time, the clips 10 engage, completing the initial connection. There is no need to support the lower housing 8. Then, the first screw 13 is used to reinforce the connection between the lower housing 8 and the upper housing 7 from the bottom. Finally, the second screw 15 is used to fix the lower housing 8 laterally from the side. Through the triple connection structure, the connection between the lower housing 8 and the upper housing 7 is tighter and more secure, less prone to loosening, and helps maintain the sealing performance at the connection between the lower housing 8 and the upper housing 7. The slot 9 at the lower end of the upper housing 7 and the upper end of the lower housing 8 not only achieve a positioning connection, but also help improve the sealing performance at the connection between the upper housing 7 and the lower housing 8.

[0030] like Figure 1As shown, the fan 2 is fixedly mounted inside the fixed cover 1 by a third screw 18. The fixed cover 1 has a through groove 16, and the air inlet of the fan 2 communicates with the through groove 16. An elastic sealing ring 17 is also provided between the fan 2 and the cover 3. The upper end of the elastic sealing ring 17 is pressed against the edge of the air outlet of the fan 2, and the lower end of the elastic sealing ring 17 is pressed against the edge of the opening 5 of the cover 3. By setting the elastic sealing ring 17, the sealing performance at the connection between the fan 2 and the cover 3 can be improved, so that the airflow blown from the air outlet of the fan 2 can enter the cover 3. An LED light is also fixedly mounted on the fan 2, and the status of the print head can be viewed more intuitively by the illumination of the LED light.

[0031] This invention, by setting three air outlets 4, can blow air onto the front and left and right sides of the printhead nozzle. Compared with the existing symmetrical air outlets 4 on both sides, it can reduce the dead area area where air cannot be blown, improve the rapid cooling of the printer, and thus improve the printing effect.

[0032] It should be understood that in the claims and description of this utility model, all instances of "comprising..." should be understood as having an open meaning, that is, their meaning is equivalent to "containing at least...", and should not be understood as having a closed meaning, that is, their meaning should not be understood as "containing only...".

[0033] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative examples illustrating the spirit of this utility model. Those skilled in the art to which this utility model pertains may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to replace them, without departing from the spirit of this utility model or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An air duct structure for a 3D printer print head, comprising a fixed cover surrounding the 3D printer print head, a fan mounted on the fixed cover, and an air guide shroud for guiding the air blown out by the fan, characterized in that, The air guide cover includes a hollow shell with three air outlets arranged around the nozzles on the 3D printer head at the lower end of the shell. The shell has an opening that communicates with the fan outlet. Inside the shell, there is a partition that divides the inner cavity of the shell into three air ducts. The three air outlets are connected to the three air ducts respectively, and each air duct is connected to the fan outlet through an opening. Of the three air outlets, two are symmetrically arranged, and the third air outlet is located on the side between the first two air outlets.

2. The air duct structure for a 3D printer print head according to claim 1, characterized in that... The three air outlets are oriented at an angle downward relative to the horizontal plane.

3. The air duct structure for a 3D printer print head according to claim 2, characterized in that... The third air outlet is tilted relative to the plane of symmetry of the two symmetrically arranged air outlets.

4. The air duct structure for a 3D printer print head according to claim 1, characterized in that... Both the fixed cover and the shell are C-shaped or U-shaped structures, and the notches of the fixed cover and the shell face the same direction. Of the three air outlets, two air outlets are symmetrically arranged at the bottom of both ends of the shell, and the third air outlet is arranged at the bottom of the middle section of the shell.

5. The air duct structure for a 3D printer print head according to claim 4, characterized in that... The cover includes an upper shell and a lower shell that are spliced ​​together. The upper shell is fixedly located at the bottom of the fixed cover. The opening is located on the upper shell. The lower shell is detachably connected to the upper shell. The partition is composed of two parts, upper and lower, which are spliced ​​together and fixedly located inside the upper shell and the lower shell, respectively.

6. The air duct structure for a 3D printer print head according to claim 5, characterized in that... The separator has a Y-shaped cross-section and is located in the middle section of the cover.

7. A duct structure for use in a 3D printer printhead according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that... The upper housing has a slot at its lower end and a buckle is fixed inside the upper housing. The upper end of the lower housing is embedded in the slot, and a block is fixed on the lower housing to engage with the buckle.

8. The air duct structure for a 3D printer print head according to claim 7, characterized in that... Both the upper and lower housings are fixedly provided with connecting columns, and the connecting columns in the upper housing and the lower housing correspond one-to-one. A first screw is also provided between the upper and lower housings, passing through the connecting column in the lower housing and screwing into the connecting column in the upper housing.

9. A duct structure for use in a 3D printer printhead according to claim 8, characterized in that... The fixing cover is also fixedly provided with a connecting ear, and a second screw is provided on the connecting ear and screwed into the lower housing. The orientation of the second screw is perpendicular to the orientation of the first screw.

10. A duct structure for use in a 3D printer printhead according to claim 1, characterized in that... The fan is fixed inside the fixed cover by a third screw. The fixed cover has a through groove, and the air inlet of the fan communicates with the through groove. An elastic sealing ring is also provided between the fan and the cover. The upper end of the elastic sealing ring is pressed against the edge of the air outlet of the fan, and the lower end of the elastic sealing ring is pressed against the edge of the opening of the cover.

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