Consumable cartridge and additive manufacturing system

Abstract

The application provides a consumable box and an additive manufacturing system. The consumable box is used for placing a tray. The consumable box comprises a box body, a supporting mechanism and a driving member. The box body comprises at least two accommodating cavities. Each accommodating cavity comprises at least one accommodation position in which the tray is rotatably installed. Each accommodation position defines a tray rotation axis. The supporting mechanism is arranged in each accommodation position. The supporting mechanism comprises a first supporting assembly, a second supporting assembly and a third supporting assembly which are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the accommodation position. The first supporting assembly comprises a first axis. The second supporting assembly comprises a second axis. The third supporting assembly comprises a third axis. The driving member is arranged in each accommodation position. The output end of the driving member is in transmission connection with the first supporting assembly. The second axis and the third axis are respectively located on the two sides of the first axis in the circumferential direction. Referring to the center of a circle, any point on the tray rotation axis is taken as the center, the circumferential angle between the second axis and the first axis is denoted as α1, and the circumferential angle between the third axis and the first axis is denoted as α2. 70°<α1+α2<180°.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of additive manufacturing technology, and in particular to a consumable box and an additive manufacturing system. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, consumable boxes are usually equipped with two support components, which provide support for the consumable tray when it is placed inside the consumable box.

[0003] However, for this type of consumable box, during additive manufacturing, as the consumables in the tray gradually decrease, the weight of the tray decreases, and the center of gravity changes accordingly. When the tray rotates, this change in the center of gravity causes an unbalanced force, which in turn causes the tray to bounce, thus affecting the normal feeding of the consumable box.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, some technologies have attempted to limit the material tray by installing a gap-fitting pressure plate at the top of the hopper, thereby mitigating the bounce problem and improving the material supply stability to some extent. However, to avoid interfering with the rotation of the tray, the pressure plate in this type of solution requires a relatively large gap with the tray, so this solution can only alleviate the bounce to a limited extent and its effect is limited. Furthermore, this solution increases the structural complexity of the consumable box and also affects the convenience of loading and unloading the tray. Utility Model Content

[0005] To overcome the problems existing in the related technologies, this application provides a consumable box and an additive manufacturing system that can effectively reduce the impact of tray bounce on the normal feeding of the consumable box.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present application, a consumable box is provided for placing a tray, including a box body, a support mechanism, and a drive component. The box body includes at least two receiving cavities, each receiving cavity including at least one receiving position for rotatably mounting the tray, and each receiving position defining a tray rotation axis. The support mechanism is respectively disposed in each receiving position, and the support mechanism includes a first support component, a second support component, and a third support component spaced apart circumferentially in the receiving position. The first support component includes a first axis, the second support component includes a second axis, and the third support component includes a third axis. The drive component is respectively disposed in each receiving position, and the output end of the drive component is drively connected to the first support component for driving the first support component to rotate. The second axis and the third axis are respectively located on both sides of the first axis in the circumferential direction. And with the center of the circle being any point on the tray rotation axis, the central angles between the second axis and the third axis and the first axis in the circumferential direction are denoted as α1 and α2, respectively, where 70° < α1 + α2 < 180°.

[0007] In this embodiment, the consumable box includes a driving component and a first support component, a second support component, and a third support component spaced apart circumferentially in the receiving position of the box body. The driving component can drive the first support component, thereby causing the tray in the receiving position to rotate. The second axis of the second support component and the third axis of the third support component are respectively located on both sides of the first axis of the first support component. Furthermore, with the rotation axis of the tray as the center, the sum of the central angles α1+α2 between the second axis and the third axis and the first axis in the circumferential direction is set to be greater than 70° and less than 180°. Thus, when the tray rotation generates an unbalanced force, one of the first support component and the second or third support component can support the tray, while the other of the second and third support components can limit the tray, thereby reducing the amplitude of tray bounce and effectively reducing the impact of tray bounce on the normal supply of consumables to the box.

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, the first support assembly includes a first roller surface rotatable about the first axis, the second support assembly includes a second roller surface rotatable about the second axis, and the third support assembly includes a third roller surface rotatable about the third axis; the minimum distance from the second roller surface or the third roller surface to the rotation axis of the material tray is greater than the minimum distance from the first roller surface to the rotation axis of the material tray.

[0009] In this embodiment, the minimum distance from the third roller surface to the rotation axis of the material tray is set to be greater than the minimum distance from the first roller surface to the rotation axis of the material tray, or the minimum distance from the second roller surface to the rotation axis of the material tray is set to be greater than the minimum distance from the first roller surface to the rotation axis of the material tray. This allows a certain distance to be maintained between the third roller surface or the second roller surface and the rim of the material tray. In this way, during the process of the material tray jumping, a suitable distance is maintained between the second roller surface or the third roller surface and the rim of the material tray, ensuring the rotational accuracy and flexibility of the material tray while avoiding excessive wear and jamming of the material tray.

[0010] In some examples of this application, the difference between the minimum distance from the second roller surface or the third roller surface to the rotation axis of the tray and the minimum distance from the first roller surface to the rotation axis of the tray is greater than 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm.

[0011] In this embodiment, the difference between the minimum distance from the second or third roller surface to the rotation axis of the material tray and the minimum distance from the first roller surface to the rotation axis of the material tray is set within a suitable range, which can effectively improve the working reliability of the consumable box and ensure the rotation accuracy and flexibility of the material tray.

[0012] In some examples of this application, the minimum distances from the second roller surface and the third roller surface to the rotation axis of the tray are equal, and the second axis and the third axis are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the first axis.

[0013] In this embodiment, the second and third axes are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the first axis, which reduces the complexity of the support mechanism design. Only one of the second and third axes needs to be determined, and the other can be easily determined through symmetry. Furthermore, the minimum distances from the second and third roller surfaces to the rotation axis of the material tray are equal. Regardless of whether the material tray is located above the first and second support components, or above both the first and third support components, the state of the material tray relative to the support mechanism remains consistent. This improves the stability and reliability of the material tray's supply of consumables.

[0014] In some examples of this application, when the box is in an upright position, the first support component and the second support component are located on the underside of the tray; when the box is in a horizontal position, the first support component and the third support component are located on the underside of the tray.

[0015] In this embodiment, for the box in an upright position, the first and second support components can support the tray inside the box. For the box in a horizontal position, the first and third support components can support the tray inside the box. Therefore, when the consumable box needs to be used in a space-constrained environment, the box can be switched to an upright position, thereby reducing the horizontal area occupied by the box and saving space. When the consumable box needs to be used in a low-ceilinged space or an environment requiring a horizontal layout, the box can be switched to a horizontal position, effectively reducing the vertical height occupied by the box.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the first support component includes a first rotating shaft and a first roller: the first rotating shaft is rotatably disposed in the receiving position and is connected to the output end of the drive member; the first roller is disposed on the first rotating shaft and is capable of rotating with the rotation of the first rotating shaft.

[0017] In this embodiment, the first support component transmits the power of the driving component to the first roller through the first rotating shaft. The first roller surface of the first roller contacts the rim of the material tray, which can drive the material tray to rotate through friction.

[0018] In some embodiments of this application, the first roller includes a wheel body and a friction sleeve; the outer periphery of the wheel body is provided with external teeth; the inner wall of the friction sleeve is provided with a tooth groove that mates with the external teeth, and the friction sleeve is detachably connected to the wheel body.

[0019] In this embodiment, the external teeth of the wheel body engage with the tooth grooves of the friction sleeve, ensuring a tight connection and synchronous rotation between the two. This transmits the power of the driving component to the friction sleeve via the first rotating shaft and the wheel body. The friction sleeve contacts the rim of the material tray, driving the tray to rotate through friction. Furthermore, the first roller adopts a detachable split structure for the wheel body and the friction sleeve, facilitating the installation and removal of the wheel body and the friction sleeve, and simplifying the maintenance and replacement of the first roller.

[0020] In some examples of this application, the friction sleeve is an elastic element.

[0021] In this embodiment, the friction sleeve using elastic elements can not only adapt to the uneven contact surface on the rim of the material tray within a certain range, but also fill the uneven part of the rim surface of the material tray through elastic deformation, increasing the contact area and friction with the rim of the material tray. In addition, it can absorb some energy during the contact with the rim of the material tray, playing a role in buffering and shock absorption, and improving the stability of the consumable box feeding.

[0022] In some examples of this application, the driving component includes a drive motor and a transmission mechanism: the input end of the transmission mechanism is connected to the output end of the drive motor, and the output end of the transmission mechanism is connected to the first rotating shaft; wherein, the transmission mechanism is any one of a gear transmission mechanism, a belt transmission mechanism, or a chain transmission mechanism.

[0023] In this embodiment, the driving component consists of a drive motor and a transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism can transmit the power of the drive motor to the first rotating shaft, thereby driving the material tray to rotate through the first roller.

[0024] In some embodiments of this application, the number of first rollers is multiple, and the multiple first rollers are spaced apart; the first support assembly also includes a driven gear, which is disposed on the first rotating shaft and located between two adjacent first rollers; the transmission mechanism adopts a gear transmission mechanism, and the output gear of the gear transmission mechanism meshes with the driven gear.

[0025] In this embodiment, the driven gear is mounted on the first rotating shaft and located between two adjacent first rollers, allowing it to mesh with the output gear of the gear transmission mechanism, thereby transmitting power to the first rotating shaft. The number of teeth on the output gear and the driven gear of the gear transmission mechanism can be selected according to actual needs, flexibly adjusting the transmission ratio to easily regulate the rotational speed of the feed tray.

[0026] In some examples of this application, the second support component and / or the third support component includes:

[0027] The second rotating shaft is fixedly disposed in the receiving position;

[0028] The second roller is fitted onto the second rotating shaft and can rotate relative to the second rotating shaft; there are two second rollers, and an installation space is reserved between the two second rollers;

[0029] A wire guide assembly is located in the installation space and is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft.

[0030] In this embodiment, the wire guide assembly is integrated into the second support assembly and / or the third support assembly, which can reduce the space occupied by the wire guide assembly, eliminate the structural components that support the wire guide assembly separately, and effectively improve the compactness of the consumable box.

[0031] In some examples of this application, the wire guiding assembly includes:

[0032] The guide member has a guide hole and is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft;

[0033] A wear-resistant component is detachably disposed on the wall of the guide hole and located at the feed end of the guide component. The wear-resistant component has a through hole that communicates with the guide hole.

[0034] In this embodiment, the feed end of the guide member is equipped with a detachable wear-resistant component. This allows for easy replacement of the wear-resistant component when it wears to a predetermined degree after prolonged use of the wire guiding assembly. In this way, the wear-resistant component effectively protects the feed end of the guide member, preventing damage due to wear and extending the service life of the guide member. Furthermore, since the guide member can rotate relative to the second rotating shaft, when consumables are fed to the guide member, the force between the consumables and the guide member can cause the guide member to rotate around the second rotating shaft by a certain angle. This allows the wire guiding assembly to dynamically adjust according to the actual feeding direction and angle of the consumables, thereby optimizing the feeding path and ensuring smooth feeding. Simultaneously, this adaptive adjustment reduces the friction between the consumables and the inner wall of the guide hole in the guide member, thereby reducing wear on the consumables during the feeding process.

[0035] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of this application, an additive manufacturing system is provided, comprising:

[0036] The consumable box described in any of the first aspects above.

[0037] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this specification. Attached Figure Description

[0038] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this application, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a consumable box in an upright position according to an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a consumable box in a horizontal position according to an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A structural diagram of the consumable box, omitting some of the supporting mechanisms and driving components of the box body;

[0042] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Front view of the support mechanism and drive components;

[0043] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 The front view of the consumable box omits some of the supporting mechanisms and drive components of the box body;

[0044] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the first supporting component;

[0045] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 An exploded view of the first roller in the first support assembly;

[0046] Figure 8 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the second support component;

[0047] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of the wire guide component in the second support assembly.

[0048] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0049] 100—Consumables Box;

[0050] 1—Box body; 11—Receiving cavity; 111—Receiving position;

[0051] 2—Supporting structures;

[0052] 21—First support component;

[0053] 211—First pivot; 2110—First axis;

[0054] 212—First roller; 2121—Roll body; 2122—Friction sleeve;

[0055] 213—Driven gear;

[0056] 22—Second support component;

[0057] 221—Second rotating shaft; 2210—Second axis; 2220—Second roller surface;

[0058] 222—Second roller;

[0059] 223—Wire guiding assembly; 2231—Guiding component; 2232—Wear-resistant component;

[0060] 23—Third support assembly; 2310—Third axis; 2320—Third roller surface;

[0061] 3—Driver component; 31—Drive motor; 32—Transmission mechanism;

[0062] 200—Plate; 201—Plate rotation axis. Detailed Implementation

[0063] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this application will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar structures, and therefore their detailed descriptions will be omitted. Furthermore, the drawings are merely illustrative of this application and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0064] Although relative terms such as "up" and "down" are used in this application to describe the relative relationship of one component of an icon to another, these terms are used only for convenience, such as according to the orientation of the examples described in the accompanying drawings. It is understood that if the device of the icon is flipped so that it is upside down, the component described as "up" will become the component described as "down". When a structure is "up" of another structure, it may mean that the structure is integrally formed on the other structure, or that the structure is "directly" disposed on the other structure, or that the structure is "indirectly" disposed on the other structure through another structure.

[0065] The terms “a,” “one,” “the,” “the,” and “at least one” are used to indicate the presence of one or more elements / components / etc.; the terms “including” and “having” are used to indicate an open-ended inclusion and to mean that there may be other elements / components / etc. in addition to the listed elements / components / etc.; the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc., are used only as markers and are not a limitation on the number of objects.

[0066] In this application, terms such as "perpendicular" and "equal" refer to perpendicularity and equality within the range of process error, not absolute perpendicularity and equality. Process error can be within ±10% or ±5%. For example, perpendicularity between the horizontal direction and the second direction can be understood as the angle between the horizontal direction and the second direction being 90 degrees ± 5 degrees.

[0067] In related technologies, consumable boxes typically have two support components that provide support for the tray when it is placed inside. However, in this type of consumable box, during additive manufacturing, as the consumables in the tray gradually decrease, the tray's weight decreases, and its center of gravity shifts. When the tray rotates, this shift in center of gravity generates an unbalanced force, causing the tray to bounce and affecting the normal feeding of consumables.

[0068] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides a consumable box and an additive manufacturing system. The various parts of the consumable box and additive manufacturing system provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0069] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the first aspect of this application provides a consumable box 100 for placing a material tray 200. The consumable box 100 mainly includes a box body 1, a support mechanism 2, and a driving component 3.

[0070] The housing 1 is a container used to hold and protect consumables. The housing 1 can be made of plastic, metal, or glass. The housing 1 has various structural shapes; for example, it can be cylindrical or... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The rectangular shape shown is an example.

[0071] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 The box body 1 mainly includes at least two receiving cavities 11, each receiving cavity 11 including at least one rotatably mounted receiving position 111 for the feeding tray 200. The number of receiving cavities 11 can be one, two, three, four, etc., and the number of receiving positions 111 can also be one, two, three, four, etc. Figure 1As shown, the housing 1 includes two accommodating cavities 11 arranged vertically. Each accommodating cavity 11 includes three receiving positions 111, each receiving position 111 for holding a tray 200. Each receiving position 111 defines a tray rotation axis 201. The tray rotation axis 201 is the ideal rotation axis of the tray 200; in other words, ideally, the rotation center line of the tray 200 coincides with the tray rotation axis 201, and the tray 200 rotates around this tray rotation axis 201. It can be understood that the tray rotation axes 201 of multiple receiving positions 111 in the same accommodating cavity 11 coincide.

[0072] Support mechanism 2 is a component used to fix and support the material tray 200. See also Figure 3 Supporting mechanisms 2 are respectively disposed in each receiving position 111, that is, each receiving position 111 is provided with one supporting mechanism 2 for fixing and supporting the material tray 200 placed in the receiving position 111. The supporting mechanism 2 includes a first supporting component 21, a second supporting component 22, and a third supporting component 23 spaced apart circumferentially in the receiving position 111. It can be understood that when the material tray 200 is placed in the receiving position 111, the first supporting component 21, the second supporting component 22, and the third supporting component 23 are spaced apart circumferentially in the material tray 200. See also Figure 3 The first support component 21 includes a first axis 2110, the second support component 22 includes a second axis 2210, and the third support component 23 includes a third axis 2310.

[0073] The drive component 3 is a power component used to drive the material tray 200 to move and supply consumables. Each drive component 3 is disposed in one of the receiving positions 111. The output end of the drive component 3 is connected to the first support assembly 21 for driving the first support assembly 21 to rotate. The first support assembly 21 contacts the rim of the material tray 200, and during the rotation of the first support assembly 21, the material tray 200 is driven to rotate by friction.

[0074] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 The second axis 2210 and the third axis 2310 are located on opposite sides of the first axis 2110 in the circumferential direction. With the center of the circle as any point on the material tray rotation axis 201, the central angles between the second axis 2210 and the third axis 2310 and the first axis 2110 in the circumferential direction are denoted as α1 and α2, respectively, where 70° < α1 + α2 < 180°. For example, the central angle of α1 + α2 can be 75°, 80°, 90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, 130°, 140°, 150°, 160°, 170°, 175°, etc.

[0075] In this embodiment, the consumable box 100 includes a drive unit 3 and a first support component 21, a second support component 22, and a third support component 23 spaced apart circumferentially in the receiving position 111 of the box body 1. The drive unit 3 can drive the first support component 21, thereby causing the tray 200 in the receiving position 111 to rotate. The second axis 2210 of the second support component 22 and the third axis 2310 of the third support component 23 are respectively located on both sides of the first axis 2110 of the first support component 21 in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, with the rotation axis of the tray 200 as the center, the sum of the central angles α1+α2 between the second axis 2210 and the third axis 2310 and the first axis 2110 in the circumferential direction is set to be greater than 70° and less than 180°. In this way, when the tray 200 rotates and generates an unbalanced force, one of the first support component 21 and the second support component 22 or the third support component 23 can support the tray 200, while the other of the second support component 22 and the third support component 23 can limit the tray 200, thereby reducing the amplitude of the tray 200's jump and effectively reducing the impact of the tray 200's jump on the normal material supply of the consumable box 100.

[0076] In this embodiment, it should be specifically noted that the "circumferential direction" in the phrase "the first support component 21, the second support component 22, and the third support component 23 are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the receiving position" specifically refers to the circumferential direction centered on the rotation axis of the material tray. That is, the first axis 2110 of the first support component 21, the second axis 2210 of the second support component 22, and the third axis 2310 of the third support component 23 are all distributed on the same virtual circumference or concentric circumference centered on the rotation axis of the material tray 200, and the three are arranged alternately in this circumferential direction to form a three-point support layout around the material tray 200. In this arrangement, the second axis 2210 and the third axis 2310 are located on both sides of the first axis 2110 along the aforementioned circumferential direction. One of the second support component 22 and the third support component 23 works with the first support component 21 to support the tray 200, while the other of the second support component 22 and the third support component 23 limits the tray 200. This allows the three support components to provide stable support and limit the tray 200 from different directions, effectively counteracting the unbalanced force when the tray 200 rotates.

[0077] In a specific implementation, combined with Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5As shown, the support mechanism 2 is arranged circumferentially around the rotating axis 201 of the material tray via a first support component 21, a second support component 22, and a third support component 23. The second axis 2210 and the third axis 2310 are located on both sides of the first axis 2110, while limiting the range of α1+α2 to between 70° and 180°. This arrangement allows the material tray 200 to bounce due to an unbalanced force caused by a change in the center of gravity. The first support component 21 provides support and power as the active driving component, while the second support component 22 and the third support component 23 can effectively limit the movement from both sides. When the material tray 200 shifts towards the second support component 22, the second roller surface 2220 can contact the rim of the material tray 200 in time to limit its excessive bounce. When the material tray 200 shifts towards the third support component 23, the third roller surface 2320 can also play a limiting role.

[0078] Compared to a structure supported by only two support components, the synergistic effect of three support components can significantly reduce the fluctuation of the material tray 200, avoiding unstable contact between the material tray 200 and the support components caused by fluctuation. This ensures the continuity and stability of the power transmission from the drive component 3 to the material tray 200 through the first support component 21, reducing jamming or interruptions during the feeding process. The aforementioned limitation of the angle range avoids the problem of the second support component 22 and the third support component 23 being too close together due to an excessively small α1+α2, thus weakening the limiting effect. It also prevents the support points from being scattered and the material tray 200 from tilting and swaying due to an excessively large angle, further improving the control effect on the rotational stability of the material tray 200.

[0079] See Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the first support assembly 21 includes a first roller surface (not shown) rotatable about a first axis 2110, the second support assembly 22 includes a second roller surface 2220 rotatable about a second axis 2210, and the third support assembly 23 includes a third roller surface 2320 rotatable about a third axis 2310. The minimum distance from the second roller surface 2220 or the third roller surface 2320 to the material tray rotation axis 201 is greater than the minimum distance from the first roller surface to the material tray rotation axis 201.

[0080] Among them, the roller surface is the surface of the support assembly that is closest to the rim of the material tray 200.

[0081] See Figure 4When the material tray 200 is located above the first support assembly 21 and the second support assembly 22, the first support assembly 21 and the second support assembly 22 are in contact with the rim of the material tray 200. The first roller surface is the contact surface between the first support assembly 21 and the rim of the material tray 200, the second roller surface is the contact surface between the second support assembly 22 and the rim of the material tray 200, and the third roller surface 2320 is the surface of the third support assembly 23 that is closest to the rim of the material tray 200. At this time, the minimum distance from the third roller surface 2320 to the rotation axis 201 of the material tray is d3.

[0082] See Figure 5 When the material tray 200 is located above the first support assembly 21 and the third support assembly 23, the first support assembly 21 and the third support assembly 23 are in contact with the rim of the material tray 200. The first roller surface is the contact surface between the first support assembly 21 and the rim of the material tray 200, the third roller surface 2320 is the contact surface between the third support assembly 23 and the rim of the material tray 200, and the second roller surface 2220 is the surface of the second support assembly 22 that is closest to the rim of the material tray 200. At this time, the minimum distance from the second roller surface 2220 to the rotation axis 201 of the material tray is d2.

[0083] In this embodiment, the minimum distance d3 from the third roller surface 2320 to the rotating axis 201 of the material tray is set to be greater than the minimum distance from the first roller surface to the rotating axis 201 of the material tray, or the minimum distance d2 from the second roller surface 2220 to the rotating axis 201 of the material tray is set to be greater than the minimum distance from the first roller surface to the rotating axis 201 of the material tray. This allows a certain distance to be maintained between the third roller surface 2320 or the second roller surface 2220 and the rim of the material tray 200. In this way, during the jumping process of the material tray 200, the second roller surface 2220 or the third roller surface 2320 and the rim of the material tray 200 can maintain a suitable distance, ensuring the rotational accuracy and flexibility of the material tray 200 while avoiding excessive wear and jamming of the material tray 200.

[0084] In some embodiments, the difference between the minimum distance from the second roller surface 2220 or the third roller surface 2320 to the material tray rotation axis 201 and the minimum distance from the first roller surface to the material tray rotation axis 201 is greater than 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm. For example, the difference in minimum distance can be 0.5 mm, 0.8 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, etc.

[0085] It should be noted that if the minimum distance difference is less than or equal to 0.1mm, the second roller surface 2220 or the third roller surface 2320 will be too close to the rim of the tray 200, causing the tray 200 to get stuck during operation, resulting in the consumable box 100 malfunctioning. If the minimum distance difference is greater than 5mm, the second roller surface 2220 or the third roller surface 2320 will be too far from the rim of the tray 200, causing the tray 200 to experience significant shaking and vibration during operation, potentially leading to large positional deviations and inability to accurately reach the predetermined position, resulting in unstable consumable delivery.

[0086] In this embodiment, the difference between the minimum distance from the second roller surface 2220 or the third roller surface 2320 to the rotating axis 201 of the material tray and the minimum distance from the first roller surface to the rotating axis 201 of the material tray is set within a suitable range, which can effectively improve the working reliability of the consumable box 100 and ensure the rotation accuracy and flexibility of the material tray 200.

[0087] See Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the minimum distances from the second roller surface 2220 and the third roller surface 2320 to the rotating axis 201 of the material tray are equal, and the second axis 2210 and the third axis 2310 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the first axis 2110.

[0088] For example, if the radius of the material tray 200 is 100mm, the minimum distance from the second roller surface 2220 and the third roller surface 2320 to the rotation axis 201 of the material tray can be 102mm, 103mm, 104mm, 105mm, 106mm, 107mm, etc. The second axis 2210 and the third axis 2310 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the first axis 2110, that is, the second axis 2210 and the third axis 2310 are symmetrical with respect to the first axis 2110.

[0089] In this embodiment, the second axis 2210 and the third axis 2310 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the first axis 2110. This reduces the complexity of the support mechanism 2 design. Only one of the second axis 2210 and the third axis 2310 needs to be determined, and the other can be easily determined through symmetry. Furthermore, the minimum distances from the second roller surface 2220 and the third roller surface 2320 to the material tray rotation axis 201 are equal. Regardless of whether the material tray 200 is located above the first support assembly 21 and the second support assembly 22, or above the first support assembly 21 and the third support assembly 23, the state of the material tray 200 relative to the support mechanism 2 remains consistent. This improves the stability and reliability of the material tray 200 in supplying consumables.

[0090] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments, when the box body 1 is in an upright position, the first support component 21 and the second support component 22 are located on the lower side of the tray 200; when the box body 1 is in a horizontal position, the first support component 21 and the third support component 23 are located on the lower side of the tray 200.

[0091] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the box 1 has an upright placement state and a horizontal placement state. The upright placement state refers to the state in which the box 1 is placed upright in the vertical direction, in which the multiple receiving cavities 11 are arranged vertically. Figure 1 As shown, the two receiving cavities 11 are arranged one above the other. The horizontal placement state refers to the state where the box 1 is placed flat in the horizontal direction; in this state, the multiple receiving cavities 11 are arranged horizontally. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the two receiving cavities 11 are arranged on the left and right respectively.

[0092] Box 1 can switch between a standing and a lying position. See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 It can be done by Figure 1 Box 1, which is placed upright, is rotated 90° clockwise to obtain... Figure 2 Box 1 is placed in a horizontal position. Similarly, it can also be done by... Figure 2 Box 1, which is placed in a horizontal position, is rotated 90° counterclockwise to obtain... Figure 1 The box 1 is placed in an upright position. For the box 1 in an upright position, the first support assembly 21 and the second support assembly 22 are located below the material tray 200, providing support for the material tray 200 inside the box 1. For the box 1 in a horizontal position, the first support assembly 21 and the third support assembly 23 are located below the material tray 200, providing support for the material tray 200 inside the box 1.

[0093] In this embodiment, for the box 1 in an upright position, the first support component 21 and the second support component 22 can support the tray 200 inside the box 1. For the box 1 in a horizontal position, the first support component 21 and the third support component 23 can support the tray 200 inside the box 1. Therefore, when the consumable box 100 needs to be used in a space-constrained environment, the box 1 can be switched to an upright position, thereby reducing the horizontal area occupied by the box 1 and saving space. When the consumable box 100 needs to be used in a low space or an environment that requires a horizontal layout, the box 1 can be switched to a horizontal position, effectively reducing the vertical height occupied by the box 1.

[0094] See Figure 6In some embodiments, the first support component 21 includes a first rotating shaft 211 and a first roller 212. The first rotating shaft 211 is rotatably disposed in the receiving position 111 and is connected to the output end of the drive component 3. The first rotating shaft 211 has a first axis 2110. The first roller 212 is disposed on the first rotating shaft 211 and can rotate with the rotation of the first rotating shaft 211. The first roller 212 has a first roller surface.

[0095] Understandably, the first rotating shaft 211 is installed in the receiving position 111 and can rotate freely. The first rotating shaft 211 is connected to the output end of the drive member 3, and the drive member 3 transmits power through the first rotating shaft 211. The first roller 212 is installed on the first rotating shaft 211, and when the first rotating shaft 211 rotates, the first roller 212 rotates accordingly.

[0096] In this embodiment of the application, the first support component 21 transmits the power of the driving component 3 to the first roller 212 through the first rotating shaft 211. The first roller surface of the first roller 212 contacts the rim of the material tray 200, and can drive the material tray 200 to rotate through friction.

[0097] See Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the first roller 212 includes a wheel body 2121 and a friction sleeve 2122. The outer periphery of the wheel body 2121 is provided with external teeth; the inner wall of the friction sleeve 2122 is provided with a tooth groove that cooperates with the external teeth, and the friction sleeve 2122 is detachably connected to the wheel body 2121.

[0098] Among them, the wheel body 2121 is fixedly connected to the first rotating shaft 211, the outer teeth on the outer periphery of the wheel body 2121 can be straight teeth, and the tooth groove on the inner wall of the friction sleeve 2122 can be a straight groove that matches the outer teeth.

[0099] In this embodiment, the external teeth of the wheel 2121 engage with the tooth grooves of the friction sleeve 2122, ensuring a tight connection and synchronous rotation between the two. This transmits the power of the drive component 3 to the friction sleeve 2122 via the first rotating shaft 211 and the wheel 2121. The friction sleeve 2122 contacts the rim of the material tray 200, driving the material tray 200 to rotate through friction. Furthermore, the first roller 212 employs a detachable split structure for the wheel 2121 and the friction sleeve 2122, facilitating the installation and removal of the wheel 2121 and the friction sleeve 2122, and simplifying the maintenance and replacement of the first roller 212.

[0100] In some embodiments, the friction sleeve 2122 may be an elastic element, and the friction sleeve 2122 may be detachably assembled and connected with the wheel body 2121 through elastic deformation.

[0101] The friction sleeve 2122 can be made of elastic materials such as rubber, polyurethane, or silicone. Due to the elastic properties of the elastic element, the friction sleeve 2122 can undergo elastic deformation when subjected to external force and return to its original shape after the force is removed.

[0102] In this embodiment, the friction sleeve 2122 with elastic elements can not only adapt to the uneven contact surface on the rim of the material tray 200 within a certain range, but also fill the uneven part of the rim surface of the material tray 200 through elastic deformation, increasing the contact area and friction with the rim of the material tray 200. In addition, it can absorb some energy during the contact with the rim of the material tray 200, playing a role in buffering and shock absorption, and improving the stability of the consumable box feeding.

[0103] See Figure 4 In some embodiments, the driving component 3 includes a drive motor 31 and a transmission mechanism 32. The input end of the transmission mechanism 32 is connected to the output end of the drive motor 31, and the output end of the transmission mechanism 32 is connected to the first rotating shaft 211. The transmission mechanism 32 can be any one of a gear transmission mechanism, a belt transmission mechanism, or a chain transmission mechanism.

[0104] The drive motor 31 serves as the power source, providing rotational motion. The drive motor 31 can be selected from DC motors, AC motors, or stepper motors, etc., as needed. The transmission mechanism 32 transmits the power from the drive motor 31 to the first rotating shaft 211, and can adjust the speed, torque, etc., as needed. Various types of transmission mechanisms 32 can be used, such as gear transmission mechanisms, belt transmission mechanisms, and chain transmission mechanisms. Among these, gear transmission mechanisms and chain transmission mechanisms can achieve precise transmission ratios and have the advantages of high transmission efficiency and large torque transmission. Belt drives are elastic, can absorb shocks and vibrations, and have the advantages of smooth operation, low noise, and simple structure, making them easy to install and maintain. Designers can select a suitable transmission mechanism 32 as needed; this application does not impose specific limitations on this selection.

[0105] In this embodiment, the driving component 3 consists of a driving motor 31 and a transmission mechanism 32. The transmission mechanism 32 can transmit the power of the driving motor 31 to the first rotating shaft 211, thereby driving the material tray 200 to rotate through the first roller 212.

[0106] See Figure 6 In some embodiments, there are multiple first rollers 212, which are spaced apart; the first support assembly 21 also includes a driven gear 213, which is disposed on the first rotating shaft 211 and located between two adjacent first rollers 212; the transmission mechanism 32 adopts a gear transmission mechanism, and the output gear of the gear transmission mechanism meshes with the driven gear 213.

[0107] The number of first rollers 212 can be two, three, four, etc. Two first rollers 212 can respectively contact the two rims of the material tray 200, and drive the material tray 200 through friction. The two first rollers 212 can distribute the load and improve the stability of the rotation of the material tray 200.

[0108] In this embodiment, the driven gear 213 is disposed on the first rotating shaft 211 and located between two adjacent first rollers 212, allowing the driven gear 213 to mesh with the output gear of the gear transmission mechanism, thereby transmitting power to the first rotating shaft 211. The number of teeth of the output gear of the gear transmission mechanism and the driven gear 213 can be selected according to actual needs, and the transmission ratio can be flexibly adjusted, thereby conveniently realizing the adjustment of the rotation speed of the material tray 200.

[0109] See Figure 8 In some embodiments, the second support assembly 22 and / or the third support assembly 23 include a second rotating shaft 221, a second roller 222, and a wire guide assembly 223. The second rotating shaft 221 is fixedly disposed in the receiving position 111; the second roller 222 is sleeved on the second rotating shaft 221 and is rotatable relative to the second rotating shaft 221; there are two second rollers 222, and an installation space is reserved between the two second rollers 222; the wire guide assembly 223 is located in the installation space and is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft 221.

[0110] The second support assembly 22 has a second axis 2210 on its second rotating shaft 221 and a second roller 222 on its second roller surface 2220. The third support assembly 23 has a third axis 2310 on its second rotating shaft 221 and a third roller surface on its second roller 222. The wire guide assembly 223 guides the path of the consumable during output, ensuring that the consumable reaches the predetermined position smoothly and accurately. An installation space for the wire guide assembly 223 is reserved between the two second rollers 222. The wire guide assembly 223 can be rotatably mounted on the second rotating shaft 221 via hinges, sleeves, or hole-shaft connections.

[0111] In this embodiment, the wire guide component 223 is integrated into the second support component 22 and / or the third support component 23, which can reduce the space occupied by the wire guide component 223, eliminate the structural components that support the wire guide component 223 separately, and effectively improve the compactness of the consumable box 100.

[0112] See Figure 9In some embodiments, the wire guiding assembly 223 includes a guide member 2231 and a wear-resistant member 2232. The guide member 2231 has a guide hole and is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft 221; the wear-resistant member 2232 is detachably disposed on the wall of the guide hole and located at the feed end of the guide member 2231, and the wear-resistant member 2232 has a through hole that communicates with the guide hole.

[0113] The guide member 2231 can be a tubular structure with a guide hole inside. The specific form of the rotatable connection between the guide member 2231 and the second rotating shaft 221 can vary. In one possible implementation, the guide member 2231 has a connecting sleeve on its outer periphery, through which the guide member 2231 is fitted onto the second rotating shaft 221. In another possible implementation, the guide member 2231 has a connecting hole, through which the guide member 2231 engages with the bore of the second rotating shaft 221, achieving a rotatable connection with the second rotating shaft 221.

[0114] Wear-resistant part 2232 can be made of various materials, such as alloy steel, stainless steel, hard alloy and other metal materials, as well as plastic materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon and other plastic materials, and ceramic materials such as alumina ceramics, silicon carbide ceramics and other ceramic materials. Wear-resistant part 2232 can be a ring structure and can be detachably set on the wall of the guide hole through snap-fit, threaded connection and other means.

[0115] In this embodiment, the feed end of the guide 2231 is equipped with a detachable wear-resistant component 2232. This allows for easy replacement of the wear-resistant component 2232 when it wears to a predetermined degree after prolonged use of the wire guide assembly 223. In this way, the wear-resistant component 2232 effectively protects the feed end of the guide 2231, preventing damage due to wear and extending the service life of the guide 2231. Furthermore, since the guide 2231 can rotate relative to the second rotating shaft 221, when consumables are fed to the guide 2231, the force between the consumables and the guide 2231 can cause the guide 2231 to rotate around the second rotating shaft 221 by a certain angle. This allows the wire guide assembly 223 to dynamically adjust according to the actual feeding direction and angle of the consumables, thereby optimizing the feeding path of the consumables and ensuring smooth feeding. At the same time, this adaptive adjustment can reduce the friction between the consumable and the inner wall of the guide hole in the guide component 2231, thereby reducing the wear of the consumable during the conveying process.

[0116] The second aspect of this application also provides an additive manufacturing system, including the consumable box 100 described in any of the first aspects above.

[0117] Since this application embodiment has the consumable box 100 of the above embodiment, it has all the beneficial effects of the consumable box 100. The consumable box 100 has been described in detail above and will not be repeated here.

[0118] Other embodiments of this specification will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention. This specification is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not claimed herein. The specification and embodiments are to be considered exemplary only.

[0119] It should be understood that this application is not limited to the precise structure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope.

[0120] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A consumable cartridge (100) for placing a tray (200), characterized in that, include: The box body (1) includes at least two receiving cavities (11), each of the receiving cavities (11) including at least one receiving position (111) for rotatably mounting the tray (200), and each receiving position (111) defines a tray rotation axis (201); Supporting mechanisms (2) are respectively disposed in each of the receiving positions (111). The supporting mechanism (2) includes a first supporting component (21), a second supporting component (22), and a third supporting component (23) disposed circumferentially at intervals in the receiving positions (111). The first supporting component (21) includes a first axis (2110), the second supporting component (22) includes a second axis (2210), and the third supporting component (23) includes a third axis (2310). as well as A driving member (3) is respectively disposed in each of the accommodating positions (111). The output end of the driving member (3) is connected to the first support assembly (21) for driving the first support assembly (21) to rotate. Wherein, the second axis (2210) and the third axis (2310) are located on both sides of the first axis (2110) in the circumferential direction; and the reference center is any point on the rotation axis (201) of the material tray, and the central angles between the second axis (2210) and the third axis (2310) and the first axis (2110) in the circumferential direction are denoted as α1 and α2, respectively, where 70° < α1 + α2 < 180°.

2. The consumables cartridge (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first support assembly (21) includes a first roller surface rotatable about the first axis (2110), the second support assembly (22) includes a second roller surface (2220) rotatable about the second axis (2210), and the third support assembly (23) includes a third roller surface (2320) rotatable about the third axis (2310). The minimum distance from the second roller surface (2220) or the third roller surface (2320) to the rotation axis (201) of the material tray is greater than the minimum distance from the first roller surface to the rotation axis (201) of the material tray.

3. The consumables cartridge (100) of claim 2, characterized in that, The difference between the minimum distance from the second roller surface (2220) or the third roller surface (2320) to the rotation axis (201) of the material tray and the minimum distance from the first roller surface to the rotation axis (201) of the material tray is greater than 0.1 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm.

4. The consumables cartridge (100) of claim 2, characterized in that, The minimum distances from the second roller surface (2220) and the third roller surface (2320) to the rotating axis (201) of the material tray are equal, and the second axis (2210) and the third axis (2310) are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the first axis (2110).

5. The consumables cartridge (100) of claim 1, wherein, When the box (1) is in an upright position, the first support component (21) and the second support component (22) are located on the lower side of the tray (200); when the box (1) is in a horizontal position, the first support component (21) and the third support component (23) are located on the lower side of the tray (200).

6. The consumables cartridge (100) of claim 2, wherein, The first support component (21) includes: The first rotating shaft (211) is rotatably disposed in the receiving position (111), and the first rotating shaft (211) is connected to the output end of the driving member (3); The first roller (212) is disposed on the first rotating shaft (211) and can rotate with the rotation of the first rotating shaft (211).

7. The consumables cartridge (100) of claim 6, characterized in that, The first roller (212) includes: Wheel body (2121), the outer periphery of which is provided with external teeth; Friction sleeve (2122), the inner wall of which is provided with a tooth groove that mates with the outer tooth, and the friction sleeve (2122) is detachably connected to the wheel body (2121).

8. The consumable box (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The friction sleeve (2122) is an elastic element.

9. The consumables cartridge (100) of claim 6, wherein, The driving component (3) includes: Drive motor (31); A transmission mechanism (32) is provided, the input end of which is connected to the output end of the drive motor (31), and the output end of which is connected to the first rotating shaft (211). The transmission mechanism (32) can be any one of a gear transmission mechanism, a belt transmission mechanism, or a chain transmission mechanism.

10. The consumables cartridge (100) of claim 9, characterized in that, The number of the first rollers (212) is multiple, and the multiple first rollers (212) are arranged at intervals; The first support component (21) further includes: Driven gear (213), the driven gear (213) is disposed on the first rotating shaft (211) and located between two adjacent first rollers (212); The transmission mechanism (32) adopts a gear transmission mechanism (32), and the output gear of the gear transmission mechanism (32) meshes with the driven gear (213).

11. The consumables cartridge (100) of claim 2, wherein, The second support component (22) and / or the third support component (23) include: The second rotating shaft (221) is fixedly disposed in the accommodating position (111); The second roller (222) is sleeved on the second rotating shaft (221) and can rotate relative to the second rotating shaft (221); there are two second rollers (222), and an installation space is reserved between the two second rollers (222); The wire guide assembly (223) is located in the mounting space and is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft (221).

12. The consumables cartridge (100) of claim 11, characterized in that, The wire guide assembly (223) includes: The guide member (2231) is provided with a guide hole, and the guide member (2231) is rotatably connected to the second rotating shaft (221); The wear-resistant part (2232) is detachably disposed on the wall of the guide hole and located at the feed end of the guide (2231). The wear-resistant part (2232) is provided with a through hole, which communicates with the guide hole.

13. An additive manufacturing system, characterized by include: The consumable box (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

Images