Guiding mechanism, consumable cartridge and additive manufacturing device

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of additive manufacturing, and particularly relates to a guide mechanism, a consumable box and an additive manufacturing device. The guide mechanism comprises a guide piece, a floating friction piece and a reset piece. The guide piece defines a first friction section and a second friction section arranged in sequence. The floating friction piece can slide between the two sections. The floating friction piece forms different friction states with the first friction section and the second friction section, and the friction forces are not equal. In combination with the setting of the reset piece, the requirements of forming a block when the consumable is loose and smoothly passing when the consumable is quickly pulled can be met. The scheme dynamically adjusts the friction force, solves the problem that the output of the material tray consumable is difficult to match the requirements of the printing end, and improves the reliability and stability of printing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of additive manufacturing, and in particular to a guiding mechanism, a consumable box, and an additive manufacturing apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In additive manufacturing (especially fused deposition modeling), the demand for consumables by the printhead (extruder) changes dramatically when building complex models. This presents a significant challenge to the consumable delivery system: the system must simultaneously meet a pair of seemingly contradictory performance requirements. When the printhead moves at high speed or travels long distances without load, the system should exhibit extremely low delivery resistance to ensure instantaneous responsiveness in material feeding. Conversely, when the printhead decelerates, stops, or performs fine-structure printing, the system needs to provide sufficiently high braking force to suppress the rotational inertia of the filament tray and prevent excessive filament delivery.

[0003] Based on this, the material tray ejection in related technologies mainly adopts two methods: one is to use "free ejection" or low-friction guiding, such as using a smooth inner wall polytetrafluoroethylene tube to meet the needs of high-speed feeding in a low-resistance manner. Since the printing process may have low speed or stop, the consumable is in a loose and unsupported state, which can easily cause the consumable on the tray to loosen or become entangled; the other is a constant friction guide. This method will bring unnecessary continuous load to the printer extruder in high-speed printing and high-speed displacement scenarios, especially when using flexible consumables. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a guiding mechanism, a consumable box, and an additive manufacturing apparatus to solve the problem in the related art that the consumable output of the tray cannot match the printing end requirements in a timely manner.

[0005] According to one aspect of this application, a guiding mechanism is provided for guiding consumables, which mainly includes: a guide member, a floating friction member, and a reset member. The guide member defines an inner channel through which the consumables pass. The inner channel is provided with a first friction section and a second friction section in sequence along the conveying direction of the consumables. The floating friction member is movably disposed in the inner channel to reciprocate between the first friction section and the second friction section. When the floating friction member is located in the first friction section, it forms a first frictional contact with the guide member. When the floating friction member is located in the second friction section, it forms a second frictional contact with the guide member. The frictional force between the floating friction member and the guide member in the first frictional contact state is greater than the frictional force between the floating friction member and the guide member in the second frictional contact state. One end of the reset member is fixedly disposed relative to the guide member, and the other end is connected to the floating friction member. The reset member is used to apply a reset force toward the first friction section to the floating friction member when the consumables are relaxed.

[0006] This type of embodiment has the following technical effects:

[0007] By using a guide component that divides the inner channel into a first friction section and a second friction section, and a floating friction component that can move between the first and second friction sections, the guiding mechanism can automatically switch the floating friction component between the first and second friction section regions according to the tension changes of the filament. When the printing end pulls the filament at high speed, the floating friction component is basically located in the low-friction second friction section, ensuring smooth feeding. When the printing end decelerates or stops, and the filament becomes loose, the reset component drives the floating friction component back to the high-friction first friction section, effectively suppressing excessive feeding of the filament tray due to inertia. That is, through the above structure, damping is automatically increased when the filament is loose, effectively suppressing excessive feeding and tangling problems caused by inertia of the filament tray; damping is automatically reduced when pulling the filament at high speed, ensuring smooth feeding, thereby avoiding printing interruptions caused by poor feeding or filament tangling, and ultimately improving the reliability and stability of the additive manufacturing process.

[0008] Specifically, when the filament slacks (e.g., printing stops or retracts), the tension on the filament disappears or decreases, making it unable to counteract the resetting force of the reset component through friction with the floating friction element. Under the resetting force applied by the reset component towards the first friction section, the floating friction element is driven to move into the first friction section. When the floating friction element is in the first friction section, it forms a first frictional contact with the guide component. In this state, the frictional force between the two reaches its maximum value. This high-friction state is achieved by generating a huge positive pressure between the contact surfaces, for example, by strongly squeezing the outer wall of the floating friction element through the small inner diameter of the first friction section. This frictional force constitutes the main resistance, far exceeding the feeding force of the filament due to the inertia of the tray. This achieves automatic and rapid resistance increase in the filament slack state, forming a reliable braking effect, thereby effectively suppressing the problems of excessive dispensing and filament entanglement caused by the inertia of the tray.

[0009] When the filament is tensioned (e.g., during high-speed feeding), the print head actively and rapidly pulls the filament, increasing its tension. This tension, through the friction between the filament and the floating friction element, exerts a forward dragging force on the floating friction element. When this dragging force is sufficient to overcome the sum of the reset force and the friction between the floating friction element and the guide element in the first friction contact state, the floating friction element is "pulled" out of the first friction section by the filament and moved to the second friction section. When the floating friction element is in the second friction section, it forms a second friction contact with the guide element. In this state, the friction between them is much smaller than that in the first friction contact state. This low-friction state is achieved by greatly reducing or eliminating the normal pressure between the contact surfaces, for example, through the wider inner diameter of the second friction section, so that the floating friction element is no longer subjected to radial compression. At this time, the friction between the floating friction element and the guide element is negligible. The total resistance that the print head needs to overcome is only the tiny sliding friction between the filament and the floating friction element. This achieves automatic and instantaneous drag reduction under the tension of the consumable, forming a smooth passage state, thereby ensuring the instantaneous response and stability of high-speed feeding, and avoiding missed steps or insufficient extrusion caused by overcoming additional friction.

[0010] This embodiment constructs a purely passive, adaptive damping adjustment mechanism by using a guide member to define a first friction section and a second friction section that can form two different frictional contact states with the floating friction member. Combined with the floating friction member that can move between the two sections and a reset member that provides a basic bias force, this mechanism cleverly utilizes the presence or absence of tension in the consumable material as a "signal" for state switching. It achieves a dynamic effect of automatic high-resistance braking when relaxed and automatic low-resistance passage when tensioned. This perfectly solves the long-standing, contradictory technical requirement of low resistance during high-speed feeding versus high braking during low speed or stopping, greatly improving the reliability and stability of consumable material delivery in additive manufacturing.

[0011] Furthermore, the aforementioned setup uses the tension of the consumable itself as a status signal, automatically switching damping without the need for electronic control components, resulting in a simplified structure and reliable operation. This design not only simplifies the consumable management system architecture but also significantly improves the intelligence level of consumable management and the stability of the printing process through precise dynamic resistance adjustment.

[0012] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, on a cross section perpendicular to the direction of movement of the consumable, the minimum width of the second friction segment is greater than the maximum width of the first friction segment.

[0013] In this type of embodiment, by setting the minimum width of the second friction section to be greater than the maximum width of the first friction section in the cross-section perpendicular to the consumable's movement direction, the frictional force on the inner wall surface of the first friction section is significantly different from that on the inner wall surface of the second friction section when the floating friction component moves in the inner channel; the former is significantly greater than the latter. This configuration achieves the "parking" function of the floating friction component through a simple physical structure. By simply varying the width of the inner channel in the cross-section perpendicular to the consumable's movement direction, different radially sized accommodating spaces are provided for the floating friction component, allowing it to experience different frictional forces in the first and second friction sections. Compared to a fixed-friction guide mechanism, this significantly improves the service life of both the floating friction component and the guide mechanism.

[0014] At the same time, this arrangement naturally divides the functional areas of the first friction section and the second friction section within the guide component, eliminating the need for additional complex components or precision control structures, simplifying the overall structure of the guide mechanism, and reducing design complexity from the root.

[0015] In terms of cost and processing, the function can be achieved simply by adjusting the width of the cross section of the guide channel perpendicular to the direction of material movement. The processing technology is simple and intuitive, requiring no special equipment or high-precision processing requirements, which effectively reduces manufacturing costs and production difficulty, and is more conducive to mass production and practical application promotion.

[0016] Overall, this structural design enhances the functionality and stability of the guiding mechanism in a minimalist manner, taking into account the achievement of the intended use, low product cost, and ease of processing, thereby further improving the comprehensive practical value of the guiding mechanism.

[0017] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, a transition slope or arc surface is provided between the first friction section and the second friction section to guide the floating friction member to move smoothly.

[0018] In this type of embodiment, by optimizing the connection structure of the two-section channel, the inherent defects of the right-angle step design are effectively solved: when there is no transition structure, the 90-degree right-angle step formed by the first friction section and the second friction section may cause the edge of the floating friction component to hit the step when resetting, resulting in problems such as jamming, local wear, or vibration. The transition slope or arc surface can guide the floating friction component to achieve smooth and seamless sliding switching between the two functional sections, avoiding the risk of impact and collision, and ensuring that the floating friction component can accurately and unobstructedly enter the first friction section under the action of the resetting component, eliminating the problem of difficulty or inability to enter caused by step abutment.

[0019] This optimized design not only ensures the continuity of the mechanism's actions in high-speed response scenarios and reduces structural damage caused by instantaneous impacts, but also slows down the wear rate of components by reducing the force between floating friction parts and the channel. From a structural perspective, it ensures the stability of the mechanism's actions and the consistency of its functions during long-term use, further enhancing the overall reliability of operation.

[0020] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the floating friction element is a rigid element; the maximum cross-sectional width of the first friction segment is configured to be smaller than the maximum cross-sectional width of the floating friction element to form an interference fit.

[0021] In this type of embodiment, by defining the floating friction element as a rigid component (e.g., made of ceramic, hard alloy, or high-hardness engineering plastic) and configuring it with the first friction section in an interference fit, the realization of the high-friction braking state depends entirely on precise geometry and the coefficient of friction of the material itself. The rigid component is not easily deformed or worn, ensuring that the frictional performance of the floating friction element does not significantly degrade under long-term, high-frequency use. Furthermore, because it does not depend on the deformation of the elastic material, its braking force is more stable and less susceptible to factors such as temperature changes and material fatigue.

[0022] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the floating friction member is an elastic member that undergoes elastic deformation within the first friction section due to radial compression by the guide member.

[0023] In this type of embodiment, by defining the floating friction element as an elastic element (e.g., made of rubber, silicone, or an elastic polymer), the high-friction braking state is achieved through the restoring force generated after the elastic element is compressed. The deformation capacity of the elastic element can compensate for manufacturing tolerances within a certain range, eliminating the need for the extremely high dimensional accuracy required by the interference fit of rigid elements, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. The elastic contact also provides a certain degree of cushioning, making the process of the floating friction element entering and leaving the first friction section smoother, reducing impact and vibration. Furthermore, the elastic element can better adapt to minute dimensional expansion and contraction caused by factors such as temperature changes. This results in greater economic efficiency and manufacturing convenience.

[0024] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the floating friction member includes an inner liner for contacting the consumable; when the floating friction member undergoes elastic deformation within a first friction segment, the inner hole of its inner liner contracts to increase the frictional force between it and the consumable.

[0025] In this type of embodiment, when the elastic floating friction element is radially compressed in the first friction section, not only is a huge frictional force generated between its outer wall and the guide, but its inner hole also contracts due to the Poisson effect, more tightly "holding" the consumable, resulting in a simultaneous increase in the frictional force between the consumable and the liner. The final braking force is the sum of the external frictional force between the outer wall of the floating friction element and the guide and the increased internal frictional force between the inner liner of the floating friction element and the consumable, making the braking response faster and the locking more reliable. At the same time, the increased internal frictional force can more reliably transmit the small displacement of the consumable to the floating friction element, ensuring the sensitivity and reliability of state switching.

[0026] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, on a cross section perpendicular to the consumable conveying direction, the cross-sectional width of the first friction section is substantially the same as the cross-sectional width of the second friction section; the inner wall surface of the first friction section has a first coefficient of friction, and the inner wall surface of the second friction section has a second coefficient of friction, wherein the first coefficient of friction is greater than the second coefficient of friction.

[0027] In this type of embodiment, the switching between high and low friction states no longer depends on changes in the geometry of the inner channel of the guide member, but is achieved through differences in the material properties or surface characteristics of the inner wall surface. For example, this can be achieved by using a coating with a high coefficient of friction or performing surface roughening treatment in the first friction section, while using a coating with a low coefficient of friction (such as PTFE) or performing polishing treatment in the second friction section. The inner channel of the guide member can be made into a simple through hole, eliminating the need for machining precise steps, which further reduces costs.

[0028] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, a high-friction lining is provided on the inner wall of the floating friction element.

[0029] In this type of embodiment, the high-friction lining is designed to adapt to the rapid response of the mechanical structure to changes in tensile force. Specifically, while ensuring that the consumable is under tension, sufficient drag force is generated to drive the floating friction element to overcome the resistance of the reset element and the frictional resistance between the floating friction element and the guide element, thereby entering the second friction section. This achieves the effect of low-resistance passage of the consumable in a tensioned state and high-resistance braking in a relaxed state.

[0030] The floating friction element switches from a high-friction first friction contact state to a low-friction second friction contact state, driven by the static friction force generated between the consumable and the inner wall of the floating friction element. If this static friction force is insufficient, relative sliding easily occurs between the consumable and the inner wall of the floating friction element when the consumable is pulled, preventing the floating friction element from being effectively driven to the second friction stage, and consequently preventing the guide mechanism from switching to the low-friction state. By setting a high-friction lining, the static friction coefficient between the inner wall of the floating friction element and the consumable can be significantly increased. According to the principle of friction, this correspondingly increases the maximum static friction force that can be generated between the two. This increased static friction force ensures that when the consumable is stretched, its tension can be reliably transmitted to the floating friction element, thereby generating a driving force sufficient to overcome the reset force of the reset element and the friction force between the floating friction element and the guide element in the first friction contact state, thus driving the floating friction element to move to the second friction stage.

[0031] At the same time, the design of the high-friction liner needs to ensure the effective friction of the driving floating friction component, while avoiding scratches, wear or debris on the surface of the consumable or the floating friction component, thereby reducing the adverse effects on print quality.

[0032] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the reset member is a tension spring, which is disposed between the inlet end of the guide member and the floating friction member. One end of the tension spring is connected to the inlet end of the guide member, and the other end of the tension spring is connected to the floating friction member.

[0033] In this type of embodiment, the restoring force of the tension spring increases linearly with the amount of tension. This linear mechanical characteristic allows for precise calculation of spring parameters and the magnitude of the restoring force during the design phase, facilitating targeted selection based on the material delivery requirements. This ensures a stable dynamic balance between the restoring force, the material tension, and the frictional resistance, significantly reducing the difficulty of structural design and debugging costs.

[0034] In terms of reset reliability, the tension spring always applies a continuous and stable tension to the floating friction component, keeping it tending to approach the first friction section. This ensures that when the consumable conveying speed decreases or loosens, the floating friction component can respond to the state change in a timely manner, providing a stable power basis for its reset to the first friction section and ensuring the timely triggering of the anti-loosening locking function.

[0035] Meanwhile, as a mature standard component, the tension spring has a simple structure, low procurement cost, and convenient installation and maintenance, providing a reliable and mature implementation path for the elastic reset function, further improving the structural stability and economy of the entire guide mechanism.

[0036] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the reset member is a compression spring, which is disposed between the floating friction member and the outlet end of the guide member. One end of the compression spring is connected to the floating friction member, and the other end of the compression spring is connected to the outlet end of the guide member.

[0037] In this type of embodiment, the compression spring provides stable compression and a restoring force, ensuring a stable and reliable reset function. Furthermore, the position of the extended compression spring partially coincides with the second friction section, fully utilizing the axial space of the second friction section and avoiding additional space occupation of the guide's external area or other functional areas. This design makes the guide's internal structure more compact, significantly reducing the overall space occupancy rate and better suited to the needs of confined installation environments. The integrated space utilization design also reduces redundant connections between components, lowering the risk of loosening or displacement and further improving the long-term stability of the mechanism.

[0038] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the guiding mechanism further includes a base, to which the guide member is rotatably connected.

[0039] In this type of embodiment, the guide is rotatably connected to the base. This allows for flexible adaptation to the angles of material discharge from the tray and material feeding from the guide, providing a certain degree of dynamic angle deviation compensation. Furthermore, it adapts to the material conveying process, minimizing the bending of the consumables to reduce friction and improve the durability of the guide. This design avoids wear and breakage caused by prolonged contact between the consumables and a single edge of the guide mechanism, ensuring a smooth output path and reducing the risk of consumable damage due to mechanical adaptation issues.

[0040] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the guiding mechanism further includes: one or more magnetic elements and a damping disk, wherein the guiding element is rotatably connected to the base; at least one magnetic element is fixedly disposed on the base; the damping disk is made of a non-ferromagnetic, highly conductive material, the damping disk is fixedly connected to the guiding element, and the disk surface of the damping disk is disposed opposite to the magnetic element in a non-contact manner to generate electromagnetic damping during rotation.

[0041] In this type of embodiment, the guide is rotatably connected to the base. This allows for flexible adaptation to the angles of material discharge from the tray and material feeding from the guide, providing a certain degree of dynamic angle deviation compensation. Furthermore, it adapts to the material conveying process, minimizing the bending of the consumables to reduce friction and improve the durability of the guide. This design avoids wear and breakage caused by prolonged contact between the consumables and a single edge of the guide mechanism, ensuring a smooth output path and reducing the risk of consumable damage due to mechanical adaptation issues.

[0042] The precise control of non-contact rotary damping avoids excessive rotation amplitude when the guide rotates, effectively suppressing the rapid and violent oscillation of the guide, making its rotation process smoother and more stable. This is beneficial for the rapid change of consumable path caused by sudden turning of the guide, reducing the risk of consumable kinking and excessive local bending stress, and further ensuring the continuity and stability of consumable delivery.

[0043] Specifically, this rotary damping utilizes a damping disc that cuts the magnetic field generated by the magnetic component to create eddy currents. The eddy current magnetic field interacts with the magnetic field of the magnetic component to generate a reverse damping torque. This avoids the risk of rapid rotation of the guide component, which could lead to kinking of the consumables or excessive bending stress in certain areas.

[0044] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, a plurality of magnetic elements are arranged in a ring array along the circumferential direction of the damping disk, and adjacent magnetic elements are arranged facing the damping disk in an alternating manner with magnetic poles.

[0045] The design of multiple magnetic components arranged in a ring array along the circumference of the damping disk, with adjacent magnetic poles alternately facing the damping disk, optimizes the eddy current damping effect. Through the alternating magnetic pole layout of NSNS…, a rapidly changing magnetic field environment can be formed on the surface of the damping disk. When the damping disk rotates with the guide, any point on its surface will rapidly and alternately experience the action of magnetic fields in different directions. This high-frequency reversal of magnetic field direction can greatly excite the intensity of induced eddy currents, providing the core driving force for efficient damping.

[0046] Under the same magnetic component specifications and installation space conditions, the damping torque generated by this structural design is higher than that of a unipolar arrangement. The strong magnetic field gradient formed by the alternating magnetic poles effectively enhances the eddy current effect, which can effectively suppress the rapid and violent rotation of the guide component, ensuring a smoother rotation process and avoiding sudden changes in the material path caused by excessive sway amplitude.

[0047] Meanwhile, the energy conversion efficiency is maximized through the structured magnetic pole arrangement, and the rotational damping performance of the guide mechanism is greatly improved without increasing the size and cost of the components, thus providing a stronger guarantee for the stability of consumable delivery.

[0048] According to one aspect of this application, a consumable box is provided, which mainly includes the guiding mechanism as described above.

[0049] In this type of embodiment, the consumable cartridge has an automated consumable delivery management capability. With the help of the guide mechanism's anti-tangling, automatic tensioning, and low-resistance delivery functions, the consumables can effectively avoid knotting and tangling caused by excessive loosening during storage and output within the cartridge. At the same time, it ensures smoothness and stability during high-speed feeding, reduces printing interruptions caused by consumable delivery abnormalities, and significantly improves the unattended reliability of the printing process and the user experience.

[0050] On the other hand, the consumable box also achieves integrated functional optimization. For humidity-sensitive engineering plastics such as PLA and ABS, this integrated design can combine the "dry storage" and "smooth feeding" functions into the same consumable box. While maintaining the stability of the consumable storage environment, the guide mechanism continuously provides appropriate conveying damping and status adjustment, avoiding performance degradation of consumables due to environmental humidity or conveying stress, and further expanding the applicable scenarios and practical value of the consumable box.

[0051] This integrated design upgrades the consumable cartridge from a simple storage medium into a component with active management capabilities, which not only simplifies the peripheral configuration of additive manufacturing equipment, but also improves the convenience of consumable use and the stability of the printing process.

[0052] According to one aspect of this application, an additive manufacturing apparatus is provided, which mainly includes the guiding mechanism as described above, or includes the consumable box as described above.

[0053] In this type of embodiment, the additive manufacturing apparatus fundamentally improves the printing reliability and stability of the entire machine. Through its adaptive tensioning and anti-tangling mechanism, the tension of the filament output from the trolley can be adjusted in real time, preventing filament from tangling or falling off the trolley due to loosening or stacking. This solves the long-standing fundamental problem of filament feeding that has plagued the industry, reducing printing failures caused by poor feeding (tangling, jamming, excessive / insufficient tension), thereby improving the overall performance of the printer.

[0054] 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

[0055] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, 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.

[0056] Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of a guide mechanism provided in an embodiment of this application in a relaxed state.

[0057] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion at point A.

[0058] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the guiding mechanism in cross-sectional view during rapid material discharge.

[0059] Figure 4 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a guiding mechanism provided in another embodiment of this application during rapid material discharge is shown.

[0060] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 A magnified view of a portion at point B.

[0061] Figure 6 This illustration shows an assembly diagram of a guide mechanism provided in an embodiment of this application in cross-sectional view.

[0062] Figure 7 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the cooperation between a guide mechanism and a tray according to an embodiment of this application.

[0063] The above figures include the following reference numerals:

[0064] 10. Guide component; 11. Inner channel; 12. First friction section; 13. Second friction section; 14. Guide part; 15. Rotating part; 20. Floating friction component; 30. Reset component; 40. Base; 41. Rotating shaft; 50. Magnetic component; 60. Damping disc; 70. Consumable; 100. Guide mechanism; 200. Material tray. Detailed Implementation

[0065] 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, they 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 description will be omitted.

[0066] The features, structures, or characteristics described above can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments, and where possible, the features discussed in the various embodiments are interchangeable. In the above description, numerous specific details are provided to give a full understanding of embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this application can be practiced without one or more of the specific details described, or other methods, components, materials, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this application.

[0067] Although this application uses relative terms such as "up" and "down" to describe the relative relationship of one component of an icon to another, these terms are used only for convenience, such as the orientation of the example shown in the accompanying drawings. It is understood that if the icon's arrangement is flipped so that it is upside down, the component described as "up" will become the component described as "down". Other relative terms, such as "high", "low", "top", "bottom", "front", "back", "left", and "right", also have similar meanings. 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" mounted on the other structure, or that the structure is "indirectly" mounted on the other structure through another structure.

[0068] In this application, the terms “a,” “an,” “the,” “the,” and “at least one” are used to indicate the presence of one or more elements / components / etc.; the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are used to indicate an open-ended inclusion meaning and to mean that there may be other elements / components / etc. in addition to the listed elements / components / etc.

[0069] To better understand the originality of this application, before introducing the material guiding mechanism of this application, we will first provide detailed examples of the relevant technologies and their problems.

[0070] In related technologies, a common approach is to use "free-flow" or low-friction guiding methods, such as using PTFE tubing with smooth inner walls. This is a purely low-resistance solution, whose advantage lies in meeting the requirements of high-speed feeding. However, its fatal flaw is that when the printhead decelerates or stops feeding, due to the complete lack of an effective braking mechanism, the filament tray continues to release filament due to rotational inertia, resulting in loose coils forming on the filament path between the filament tray and the printhead. These coils are highly prone to tangling and knotting, which may ultimately lead to feeding interruption and printing failure. This makes this solution inherently flawed and difficult to overcome in applications requiring high reliability and long-term unattended printing.

[0071] As an alternative solution, a constant friction guide has been proposed in related technologies to provide continuous braking force. This is a purely high-resistance solution, which has the advantage of effectively suppressing filament relaxation, thereby improving printing reliability. However, the inherent drawback of this solution is that the applied friction force is constant and indiscriminate. When high-speed feeding is required, this continuous friction force becomes an unnecessary additional load on the extruder motor, not only increasing energy consumption but also potentially causing scratches, wear, or even slippage on the filament surface due to excessive friction between the drive wheel and the filament, thus affecting print quality and essentially constituting a technical bottleneck for improving printing speed.

[0072] These solutions share the common feature of having a static structure and a single function.

[0073] In stark contrast, the inner channel of the guide member 10 in this application is structurally and clearly divided into a first friction section 12 and a second friction section 13 with different inner diameters. It is this non-uniform structural design that provides the spatial basis for the physical movement of the floating friction member 20 between the two functional sections. This combination of a "movable friction body" and a "segmented channel structure" is the core of this application's ability to achieve adaptive switching of friction force, and it is also the essential structural and principle-based difference between this application and the aforementioned static, single-function related technologies.

[0074] Specifically, the purpose of this application is to provide a guide mechanism 100, a consumable box, and an additive manufacturing apparatus to solve the problem in the related art that the consumable output of the tray cannot match the printing end requirements in a timely manner.

[0075] Please see Figures 1 to 3 According to one aspect of this application, a guiding mechanism 100 is provided for guiding consumable 70, which mainly includes: a guide member 10, a floating friction member 20, and a reset member 30. The guide member 10 defines an inner channel 11 through which the consumable 70 passes. The inner channel 11 is provided with a first friction section 12 and a second friction section 13 in sequence along the conveying direction of the consumable 70. The floating friction member 20 is movably disposed in the inner channel to reciprocate between the first friction section 12 and the second friction section 13. When the floating friction member 20 is located in the first friction section 12, it forms a first frictional contact with the guide member 10. When the floating friction member 20 is located in the second friction section 13, it forms a second frictional contact with the guide member 10. The frictional force between the floating friction member 20 and the guide member 10 in the first frictional contact state is greater than the frictional force between the floating friction member 20 and the guide member 10 in the second frictional contact state. One end of the reset member 30 is fixed relative to the guide member 10, and the other end is connected to the floating friction member 20. It is used to apply a reset force toward the first friction section 12 to the floating friction member 20 when the consumable 70 is relaxed.

[0076] This type of embodiment has the following technical effects:

[0077] By using a guide member that divides the inner channel 11 into a first friction section 12 and a second friction section 13, and a floating friction member that can move between the first friction section 12 and the second friction section 13, the guiding mechanism can automatically switch the floating friction member 20 between the regions of the first friction section 12 and the second friction section 13 according to the tension change of the consumable 70 via a reset member 30. When the printing end pulls the material at high speed, the floating friction member 20 is basically located in the low-friction second friction section 13, ensuring smooth material feeding; while when the printing end decelerates or stops, and the consumable 70 becomes loose, the reset member drives the floating friction member 20 back to the high-friction first friction section 12, effectively suppressing excessive material discharge from the tray due to inertia. That is, through the above structure, the damping is automatically increased when the filament 70 is relaxed, which effectively suppresses the problem of excessive material discharge and entanglement caused by the inertia of the filament tray; the damping is automatically reduced when the material is pulled at high speed, which ensures the smoothness of material supply, thereby avoiding printing interruption caused by poor material supply or entanglement of the filament 70, and ultimately improving the reliability and stability of the additive manufacturing process.

[0078] It should be noted that when the printing end stops or the consumable 70 is retracted, causing the tension of the consumable 70 at the inlet of the guide mechanism to be less than the preset threshold (or less than the reset force of the reset component), it is in a relaxed state.

[0079] Specifically, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 When the printing end is not feeding material or the feeding speed lags behind the feeding speed of the tray 200, the consumable 70 is in a relaxed state, the tension on the consumable 70 disappears or decreases, and it can no longer resist the reset force of the reset member 30 through its friction with the floating friction member 20. Under the reset force applied by the reset member 30 towards the first friction section 12, the floating friction member 20 is driven to move into the first friction section 12. When the floating friction member 20 is located in the first friction section 12, it forms a first frictional contact with the guide member 10. In this state, the frictional force between the two reaches its maximum value. This high frictional state is achieved by generating a huge positive pressure between the contact surfaces, for example, by strongly squeezing the outer wall of the floating friction member 20 through the small inner diameter of the first friction section 12. This frictional force constitutes the main resistance, which is much greater than the feeding force of the consumable 70 due to the inertia of the tray 200. This enables automatic and rapid resistance increase in the slack state of consumable 70, forming a reliable braking effect, and thus effectively suppressing the problem of excessive material discharge and consumable entanglement caused by inertia in the material tray 200.

[0080] refer to Figure 3When the printer extruder actively and rapidly pulls the consumable 70, the tension of the consumable 70 increases. This tension, through the friction between the consumable 70 and the floating friction member 20, exerts a forward dragging force on the floating friction member 20. When this dragging force is sufficient to overcome the sum of the reset force and the friction between the floating friction member 20 and the guide member 10 in the first friction contact state, the floating friction member 20 will be "pulled" out of the first friction section 12 by the consumable 70 and moved to the second friction section 13. When the floating friction member 20 is located in the second friction section 13, it forms a second friction contact with the guide member 10. In this state, the friction between the two is much smaller than the friction in the first friction contact state. This low-friction state is achieved by greatly reducing or eliminating the normal pressure between the contact surfaces, for example, through the wider inner diameter of the second friction section 13, so that the floating friction member 20 is no longer subjected to radial compression. At this time, the friction between the floating friction member 20 and the guide member 10 is negligible. The total resistance that the printing end needs to overcome is only the small sliding friction between the consumable 70 and the floating friction member 20. This achieves automatic and instantaneous drag reduction under 70% tension of the consumable, forming a smooth passage state, thereby ensuring the instantaneous response and stability of high-speed feeding, and avoiding missed steps or insufficient extrusion caused by overcoming additional friction.

[0081] This embodiment constructs a purely passive, adaptive damping adjustment mechanism by using a guide member 10 to define a first friction section 12 and a second friction section 13 that can form two different frictional contact states with the floating friction member 20, combined with the floating friction member 20 that can move between the two sections and a reset member 30 that provides a basic bias force. This mechanism cleverly utilizes the presence or absence of tension in the consumable 70 as a "signal" for state switching, achieving a dynamic effect of automatic high-resistance braking when relaxed and automatic low-resistance passage when tensioned. It perfectly solves the long-standing, contradictory technical requirement of low resistance during high-speed feeding and high braking during low speed or stopping, greatly improving the reliability and stability of consumable 70 transport during additive manufacturing.

[0082] Furthermore, the aforementioned setup uses the tension of the filament 70 itself as a status signal, automatically completing damping switching without the need for electronic control components, resulting in a simplified structure and reliable operation. This design not only simplifies the architecture of the filament 70 management system but also greatly enhances the intelligence level of filament 70 management and the stability of the printing process through precise dynamic resistance adjustment.

[0083] Based on the above embodiments, it can be understood that the output process of consumable 70 is a pulling process. Under the influence of the pulling force, it is used to overcome various frictional actions within the guide member 10. When operating at low speed, consumable 70 is subjected to a smaller pulling force and is relatively loose. At this time, the reset member 30 applies a reset force to push the floating friction member 20 back to cooperate with the first friction section 12. At this time, consumable 70 is subjected to frictional force with the floating friction member 20. When the pulling force is insufficient to overcome the force of the reset member 30 and the frictional force between the floating friction member 20 and the guide member 10, the floating friction member 20 will remain in the state of first frictional contact until the pulling force can overcome the force, so that the floating friction member 20 enters the state of forming a second frictional contact with the guide member 10.

[0084] Based on the above embodiments, in some alternative solutions, in a cross-section perpendicular to the conveying direction of the consumable 70, the cross-sectional width of the first friction section 12 is substantially the same as the cross-sectional width of the second friction section 13; the inner wall surface of the first friction section 12 has a first coefficient of friction, and the inner wall surface of the second friction section 13 has a second coefficient of friction, with the first coefficient of friction being greater than the second coefficient of friction. Specifically, the first friction section 12 and the second friction section 13 can be channels with the same inner diameter, and the surface roughness of the inner wall surface of the first friction section 12 is much greater than the surface roughness of the inner wall surface of the second friction section 13. This arrangement enables the frictional force between the first friction section 12 and the floating friction element 20 to be greater than the frictional force between the second friction section 13 and the floating friction element 20.

[0085] In this type of embodiment, the switching between high and low friction states no longer depends on changes in the geometry of the inner channel of the guide 10, but is achieved through differences in the material properties or surface characteristics of the inner wall surface of the guide 10. For example, this can be achieved by using a high-friction coefficient coating or surface roughening treatment in the first friction section 12, and using a low-friction coefficient coating (such as PTFE) or polishing treatment in the second friction section 13. The inner channel of the guide 10 can be made into a simple through hole, eliminating the need for machining precise steps, which further reduces costs.

[0086] Based on the above embodiments, in some alternative solutions, the surface roughness of the inner wall of the first friction section 12 is greater than the surface roughness of the inner wall of the second friction section 13, and the inner diameter of the first friction section 12 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the second friction section 13. Optionally, the maximum cross-sectional width of the first friction section 12 is configured to be smaller than the maximum cross-sectional width of the floating friction member 20, the floating friction member 20 is clearance-fitted with the second friction section 13, and interference-fitted with the first friction section 12. This configuration causes the floating friction member 20 to undergo a certain radial compression after entering the first friction section 12, resulting in a tight fit between the floating friction member 20 and the first friction section 12, thereby creating a stronger resistance effect and preventing the consumable 70 from slipping out. When the consumable 70 needs to be re-output, the floating friction member 20 must first be removed from the first friction section 12 before output can proceed.

[0087] Based on the above embodiments, in some alternative solutions, the surface roughness of the inner wall of the first friction section 12 is equal to the surface roughness of the inner wall of the second friction section 13, the inner diameter of the first friction section 12 is smaller than the inner diameter of the second friction section 13, the floating friction element 20 is interference-fitted with the first friction section 12, and there is a floating gap between the floating friction element and the second friction section 13. This arrangement ensures that the floating friction element 20 can significantly reduce the friction force when it is located in the second friction section 13, avoiding friction force generated by the guide element 10 on the floating friction element 20, and making the passage of the consumable 70 smoother. In addition, this arrangement does not require controlling the surface roughness of the inner walls of the two friction sections, thus facilitating processing and manufacturing.

[0088] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 3 as well as Figure 6 As a preferred embodiment, on a cross section perpendicular to the direction of movement of the consumable 70, the minimum width of the second friction section 13 is greater than the maximum width of the first friction section 12.

[0089] In this type of embodiment, by setting the minimum width of the second friction section 13 to be greater than the maximum width of the first friction section 12 in the cross section perpendicular to the direction of movement of the consumable 70, the friction force on the inner wall surface of the first friction section 12 is significantly different from the friction force on the inner wall surface of the second friction section 13 when the floating friction member 20 moves in the inner channel 11; the former is significantly greater than the latter. The above-mentioned arrangement achieves the "parking" function of the floating friction member through a simple physical structure. By simply changing the width of the inner channel 11 in the cross section perpendicular to the direction of movement of the consumable 70, different radially sized accommodating spaces are provided for the floating friction member 20, so that the floating friction member 20 is subjected to different friction forces in the first friction section 12 and the second friction section 13. Compared with a fixed friction guide mechanism, the service life of the floating friction member 20 and the guide mechanism can be significantly improved.

[0090] At the same time, this arrangement naturally divides the functional areas of the first friction section 12 and the second friction section 13 within the guide member 10, eliminating the need for additional complex components or precision control structures, simplifying the overall structure of the guide mechanism, and reducing design complexity from the root.

[0091] In terms of cost and processing, the function can be achieved simply by adjusting the width of the inner channel 11 of the guide 10 perpendicular to the direction of movement of the consumable 70. The processing technology is simple and intuitive, requiring no special equipment or high-precision processing requirements, which effectively reduces manufacturing costs and production difficulty, and is more conducive to mass production and practical application promotion.

[0092] Overall, this structural design enhances the functionality and stability of the guiding mechanism in a minimalist manner, taking into account the achievement of the intended use, low product cost, and ease of processing, thereby further improving the comprehensive practical value of the guiding mechanism.

[0093] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some exemplary embodiments of this application, a transition slope or arc surface is provided between the first friction segment 12 and the second friction segment 13 to guide the floating friction member 20 to slide smoothly.

[0094] In this type of embodiment, by optimizing the connection structure of the two-section channel, the inherent defects of the right-angle step design are effectively solved: when there is no transition structure, the 90-degree right-angle step formed by the first friction section 12 and the second friction section 13 may cause the edge of the floating friction element 20 to hit the step when it resets, causing problems such as jamming, local wear or vibration. The transition slope or arc surface can guide the floating friction element 20 to achieve smooth and seamless sliding switching between the two functional sections, avoiding the risk of impact and collision, and ensuring that the floating friction element 20 can accurately and unobstructedly enter the first friction section 12 under the action of the reset element 30, eliminating the problem of difficulty in entry or inability to enter caused by step abutment.

[0095] This optimized design not only ensures the continuity of the mechanism's actions in high-speed response scenarios and reduces structural damage caused by instantaneous impacts, but also slows down the wear rate of components by reducing the force between the floating friction component 20 and the channel. From a structural perspective, it ensures the stability of the mechanism's actions and the consistency of its functions during long-term use, further enhancing the overall reliability of operation.

[0096] In some alternative embodiments, a tapered surface is provided between the first friction section 12 and the second friction section 13. The contraction rate of the tapered surface remains consistent in the direction from the first friction section 12 to the second friction section 13, resulting in a smoother process.

[0097] In some alternative embodiments, the transition between the first friction segment 12 and the second friction segment 13 on the cross-section through the axis of the guide member 10 is a smooth curve. Specifically, it can be an arc, a circular arc, etc.

[0098] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the reset member 30 is a tension spring, which is disposed between the inlet end of the guide member 10 and the floating friction member 20. One end of the tension spring is connected to the inlet end of the guide member 10, and the other end of the tension spring is connected to the floating friction member 20.

[0099] In this type of embodiment, the restoring force of the tension spring increases linearly with the amount of tension. This linear mechanical characteristic allows for precise calculation of spring parameters and the magnitude of the restoring force during the design phase, facilitating targeted selection based on the delivery requirements of consumable 70. This ensures a stable dynamic balance between the restoring force, the tension of consumable 70, and the frictional resistance, significantly reducing the difficulty of structural design and debugging costs.

[0100] In terms of reset reliability, the tension spring always applies a continuous and stable tension to the floating friction element 20, keeping it close to the first friction section 12. This ensures that when the consumable 70 conveying speed decreases or loosens, the floating friction element 20 can respond to the state change in a timely manner, providing a stable power basis for its reset to the first friction section 12, and ensuring the timely triggering of the anti-loosening locking function.

[0101] Meanwhile, as a mature standard component, the tension spring has a simple structure, low procurement cost, and convenient installation and maintenance, providing a reliable and mature implementation path for the elastic reset function, further improving the structural stability and economy of the entire guide mechanism 100.

[0102] In an alternative embodiment, a tension spring is sleeved on the outer periphery of the guide member 10, and a pushing part is provided at one end. The pushing part enters the guide member 10 from the side of the second friction section 13 and abuts or connects with the end face of the floating friction member 20. The side of the second friction section 13 is provided with a sliding groove extending along the axial direction of the guide member 10 to facilitate the guiding effect when the pushing part slides and to avoid motion interference.

[0103] Please see Figures 1 to 3 In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the reset member 30 is a compression spring, which is disposed between the floating friction member 20 and the outlet end of the guide member 10. One end of the compression spring is connected to the floating friction member 20, and the other end of the compression spring is connected to the outlet end of the guide member 10.

[0104] In this type of embodiment, the compression spring provides stable compression and a restoring force, ensuring a stable and reliable reset function. Furthermore, the position of the extended compression spring partially coincides with the second friction section 13, fully utilizing the axial space of the second friction section 13 and avoiding additional space occupation of the guide member 10 or other functional areas. This design makes the internal structure of the guide member 10 more compact, significantly reducing the overall space occupancy rate and better suited to the usage requirements of the guide member 10 in confined installation environments. Moreover, the integrated space utilization design reduces redundant connections between components, lowering the risk of loosening or displacement and further improving the long-term stability of the mechanism.

[0105] In addition, the inner channel of the guide component is either in clearance fit with or does not contact the consumable 70.

[0106] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, a high-friction lining is provided on the inner wall of the floating friction member 20.

[0107] In this type of embodiment, the high-friction lining is designed to adapt to the rapid response of the mechanical structure to changes in tension. Specifically, when the consumable 70 is under tension, sufficient drag force is generated to drive the floating friction element 20 to overcome the resistance of the reset element 30 and the frictional resistance between the floating friction element 20 and the first friction section 12, thereby entering the second friction section 13. This achieves the effect of low-resistance passage of the consumable 70 in a tensioned state and high-resistance braking in a relaxed state.

[0108] The floating friction element 20 switches from a high-friction first friction contact state to a low-friction second friction contact state, driven by the static friction force generated between the consumable 70 and the inner wall of the floating friction element 20. If this static friction force is insufficient, relative sliding easily occurs between the consumable 70 and the inner wall of the floating friction element 20 when the consumable 70 is pulled, causing the floating friction element 20 to be unable to be effectively driven to the second friction section 13, thus preventing the guide mechanism from switching to the low-friction state. By setting a high-friction lining, the static friction coefficient between the inner wall of the floating friction element 20 and the consumable 70 can be significantly improved. According to the principle of friction, this correspondingly increases the maximum static friction force that can be generated between the two. This increased static friction force ensures that when the consumable 70 is stretched, its tension can be reliably transmitted to the floating friction element 20, thereby generating a driving force sufficient to overcome the reset force of the reset element 30 and the friction force between the floating friction element 20 and the guide element 10 in the first friction contact state, thereby driving the floating friction element 20 to move to the second friction section 13.

[0109] At the same time, the design of the high-friction liner needs to ensure the effective friction of the driving floating friction component 20, while avoiding scratches, wear or debris on the surface of the consumable 70 or the floating friction component 20, thereby reducing the adverse effects on print quality.

[0110] Based on the above embodiments, the design of the high-friction liner can be selected based on the frictional properties of the material. For example, by using suitable materials such as silicone or polyurethane to form a high-friction liner, the static friction coefficient between the liner and printing consumables 70 such as polylactic acid (PLA), ABS, or PETG is kept within an effective range of 0.5 to 2.0 (preferably 0.7 to 1.5). This friction coefficient ensures that when the consumable 70 is under tension, it can generate sufficient drag force to drive the floating friction component 20 to overcome the resistance of the reset component 30 and the frictional resistance between the floating friction component 20 and the first friction section 12 to enter the second friction section 13, achieving a "tight but unobstructed" state switching; at the same time, it avoids the problem that the consumable 70 cannot drive the floating friction component 20 due to an excessively low static friction coefficient, or that the switching action is delayed.

[0111] The selection of the coefficient of friction between the high-friction liner and the consumable 70 is fundamental to achieving the "tight yet unobstructed" state switching. Understandably, if the static coefficient of friction is too low, even in a relaxed state, the consumable 70's own slight tension or gravity may not be sufficient to drive the floating friction element 20 through friction. More importantly, during feeding, the drag force of the consumable 70 on the floating friction element 20 may be insufficient to overcome the reset force of the reset element 30 and the friction between the floating friction element 20 and the guide element 10, causing the floating friction element 20 to remain in the "resistance position," failing to achieve the "tight yet unobstructed" function. While a high coefficient of friction can ensure reliable dragging, excessive friction may scratch or wear the surface of the consumable 70, generating debris and affecting print quality. The static coefficient of friction determines whether the consumable 70 can drag the floating friction element 20 instantly from rest to motion.

[0112] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the high-friction liner is made of at least one material selected from silicone, polyurethane, EPDM rubber, or nitrile rubber.

[0113] In this type of embodiment, the high-friction lining material provides the basis for the function of the floating friction element 20. On the one hand, this type of material has excellent frictional properties, and its high static friction coefficient ensures reliable frictional contact with printing consumables 70 such as PLA, ABS, and PETG. This provides sufficient frictional resistance for the floating friction element 20 under pressure to achieve the tensioning function, while also ensuring that the consumable 70 can effectively drag the floating friction element 20 to switch to the second friction stage 13 during feeding.

[0114] On the other hand, the aforementioned material also has the characteristic of flexibility. When it comes into contact with the consumable 70, it can increase the actual contact area through slight deformation, which can further enhance the frictional force. At the same time, this flexible contact can buffer the stress during the friction process, avoid scratching, abrasion or generating debris on the surface of the consumable 70, effectively protect the integrity of the consumable 70, and reduce printing quality problems caused by damage to the consumable 70.

[0115] In addition, materials such as silicone and polyurethane have good wear resistance and aging resistance. They can maintain stable performance in long-term repeated friction contact and state switching, reduce lining wear, extend the service life of floating friction parts 20 and even the entire guide mechanism 100, and improve the stability of long-term operation of the mechanism.

[0116] Based on the above embodiments, in some alternative solutions, for example Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the floating friction element 20 is made of a rigid material. During the reciprocating motion between the first friction section 12 and the second friction section 13, optionally, the maximum cross-sectional width of the first friction section 12 is configured to be smaller than the maximum cross-sectional width of the floating friction element 20 to form an interference fit. The radial dimension of the floating friction element 20 does not change; the change in frictional resistance is achieved only by the variable diameter of the first friction section 12 and the second friction section 13. The specific material can be ceramic or high-density engineering plastic. In this case, the frictional resistance of the consumable 70 relative to the high-friction lining is not subjected to radial forces, maintaining the same frictional resistance and providing stability in consumable delivery.

[0117] By defining the floating friction element 20 as a rigid component (e.g., made of ceramic, hard alloy, or high-hardness engineering plastic) and configuring it with the first friction section 12 in an interference fit, the realization of the high-friction braking state depends entirely on precise geometry and the coefficient of friction of the material itself. The rigid component is not easily deformed or worn, ensuring that the frictional performance of the floating friction element does not significantly degrade under long-term, high-frequency use. Furthermore, because it does not depend on the deformation of elastic materials, its braking force is more stable and less susceptible to factors such as temperature changes and material fatigue.

[0118] In other alternatives, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the floating friction element 20 is made of a material that is plastically deformable and has a certain degree of hardness. During the reciprocating motion between the first friction section 12 and the second friction section 13, the radial dimension of the floating friction element 20 will change slightly. For example, when entering the first friction section 12, the floating friction element 20 compresses the high-friction liner radially, increasing the friction between it and the consumable 70, thereby ensuring that the consumable lock remains stable in the relaxed state. Specifically, the material of the floating friction element 20 can be a shape memory metal.

[0119] In some alternative solutions, the floating friction element 20 is an elastic element that undergoes elastic deformation within the first friction section 12 due to radial compression by the guide element 10.

[0120] In this type of embodiment, by defining the floating friction element 20 as an elastic element (e.g., made of rubber, silicone, or an elastic polymer), the high-friction braking state is achieved through the restoring force generated after the elastic element is compressed. The deformation capacity of the elastic element can compensate for manufacturing tolerances within a certain range, eliminating the need for the extremely high dimensional accuracy required by the interference fit of rigid elements, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. The elastic contact also provides a certain buffering effect, making the process of the floating friction element 20 entering and leaving the first friction section 12 smoother, reducing impact and vibration. Furthermore, the elastic element can better adapt to minute dimensional expansion and contraction caused by factors such as temperature changes. This makes it more economical and easier to manufacture.

[0121] Furthermore, the floating friction element 20 includes a liner for contacting the consumable 70; when the floating friction element 20 undergoes elastic deformation within the first friction section 12, the inner hole of its liner contracts to increase the frictional force between it and the consumable 70.

[0122] In this type of embodiment, when the elastic floating friction element 20 is radially compressed in the first friction section 12, not only is a huge frictional force generated between its outer wall and the guide 10, but its inner hole also contracts due to the Poisson effect, more tightly "holding" the consumable 70, resulting in a simultaneous increase in the frictional force between the consumable 70 and the liner. The final braking force is the sum of the external frictional force between the outer wall of the floating friction element 20 and the guide 10 and the increased internal frictional force between the inner liner of the floating friction element 20 and the consumable 70, making the braking response faster and the locking more reliable. At the same time, the increased internal frictional force can more reliably transmit the small displacement of the consumable 70 to the floating friction element 20, ensuring the sensitivity and reliability of state switching.

[0123] It is understandable that rigid materials, such as ceramics and high-density engineering plastics, as well as metals, all possess excellent wear resistance. When the floating friction component 20 repeatedly slides within the channel of the guide component 10, the continuous frictional loss between its outer surface and the inner wall of the first friction section 12 is reduced, effectively slowing down the wear rate of the component. This characteristic ensures that the floating friction component 20 maintains stable structural dimensions and performance parameters during long-term use, improving the long-term operational reliability and service life of the entire guide mechanism 100.

[0124] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the inlet end of the guide member 10 has a guide portion 14, and the inner diameter of the guide portion 14 gradually increases in the direction away from the first friction section 12.

[0125] In this type of embodiment, a wide, error-tolerant entry point is provided for loading consumable 70. When loading or replacing consumable 70 for the first time, the user does not need to perform precise alignment. The tip of consumable 70 can slide naturally into the inner channel with the help of the flared end, which greatly simplifies the operation process, reduces the difficulty of operation, and effectively improves the efficiency of replacing consumable 70. It is especially suitable for daily use by non-professional users.

[0126] On the other hand, the gradient structure of the guide section 14 avoids the formation of sharp edges at the entrance end, which can guide the end of the consumable 70 into the channel, preventing the end of the consumable 70 from being scratched, worn or broken due to misalignment caused by improper operation, thus protecting the integrity of the consumable 70 and reducing the risk of waste and printing interruption caused by damage to the consumable 70.

[0127] Based on the above embodiments, the guide part 14 can also be configured as a smooth curve or an arc.

[0128] Furthermore, when the guide part 14 is an arc-shaped surface, its radius of curvature is greater than or equal to 3 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm.

[0129] In one specific embodiment, the guide 10 is configured in a flared shape.

[0130] In another improvement based on the above embodiments, the length of the guide member 10 is greater than or equal to 30 mm and less than or equal to 50 mm.

[0131] Please see Figures 1 to 3 In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the guide mechanism 100 further includes a base 40, to which the guide member 10 is rotatably connected.

[0132] In this type of embodiment, the guide 10 is rotatably connected to the base 40. On the one hand, it can flexibly adapt to the angle between the material discharge from the tray and the feeding angle of the guide 10, and has a certain dynamic angle deviation compensation function. On the other hand, it can adapt to the conveying process of the consumable 70, so that the bending range of the consumable 70 is minimized, thereby reducing friction and improving the durability of the guide 10. This design avoids the wear and breakage problem caused by the consumable 70 being in contact with a certain edge of the guide mechanism for a long time, ensuring that the output path of the consumable 70 remains smooth at all times, and reducing the risk of damage to the consumable 70 due to mechanical adaptation problems.

[0133] Please see Figures 1 to 3In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the guide mechanism 100 further includes one or more magnetic elements 50 and a damping disk 60, wherein the guide element 10 is rotatably connected to the base 40; one or more magnetic elements 50 are fixedly disposed on the base 40; the damping disk 60 is made of a non-ferromagnetic, highly conductive material, and is fixedly connected to the guide element 10. The disk surface of the damping disk 60 is disposed opposite to the magnetic element 50 in a non-contact manner to generate electromagnetic damping during rotation.

[0134] In this type of embodiment, the guide member 10 is rotatably connected to the base 40. On the one hand, it can flexibly adapt to the angle between the material discharge from the tray 200 and the feeding angle of the guide member 10, and has a certain dynamic angle deviation compensation function. On the other hand, it can adapt to the conveying process of the consumable 70, so that the bending range of the consumable 70 is minimized, thereby reducing friction and improving the durability of the guide member 10. This design avoids the wear and breakage problem caused by the consumable 70 being in contact with a certain edge of the guide mechanism 100 for a long time, ensuring that the output path of the consumable 70 remains smooth at all times, and reducing the risk of damage to the consumable 70 due to mechanical adaptation problems.

[0135] The guide member 10 is provided with a rotating part 15 in the circumferential direction. The rotating part 15 is a round hole and is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft 41 provided in the base 40. The two can be directly clearance-fitted or connected through a bearing. Alternatively, the rotating part 15 is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 41, and the rotating shaft 41 drives the rotating part 15 to rotate around the shaft.

[0136] In one specific embodiment, the base 40 is provided with two support seats, and the rotating shaft 41 is rotatably connected to the two support seats. The rotating shaft 41 is fixedly connected to the rotating part 15 so as to realize the rotation of the guide member 10 around the rotating shaft 41.

[0137] In another specific embodiment, the rotating part 15 is integrally formed with a pivot shaft that extends to both ends, and the base 40 is provided with two rotating shafts 41, which are rotatably connected to each other.

[0138] The precise control of non-contact rotational damping avoids excessive rotation amplitude when the guide 10 rotates, effectively suppressing the rapid and violent oscillation of the guide 10, making its rotation process smoother and more stable. This is beneficial for the sudden change in the path of consumable 70 caused by the sudden turning of the guide 10, reducing the risk of kinking of consumable 70 and excessive local bending stress, and further ensuring the continuity and stability of consumable 70 delivery.

[0139] Specifically, the rotational damping is achieved by the damping disk 60 cutting the magnetic field generated by the magnetic component 50 to form eddy currents. The eddy current magnetic field interacts with the magnetic field of the magnetic component 50 to generate a reverse damping torque. This avoids the risk of kinking of the consumable 70 or excessive bending stress in certain areas due to the rapid rotation of the guide component 10.

[0140] like Figures 1 to 3 as well as Figure 6 As shown, the magnetic component 50 can be a long strip magnet, and its magnetic field distribution can be distributed vertically or horizontally. Its magnetic field lines are arranged to pass through or partially pass through the position of the guide component 10. When the damping disk 60 rotates around the rotating shaft 41 with the guide component 10, the winding coil on it will cut the magnetic field lines, thereby generating an induced current and an induced magnetic field, thus achieving the damping effect.

[0141] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the non-ferromagnetic, highly conductive material is copper, aluminum, or an alloy thereof. It is understood that the non-magnetic conductive material will not attract the magnetic component 50 before an induced current and magnetic field are generated, thus avoiding interference from magnetic attraction forces.

[0142] In this type of embodiment, materials with high electrical conductivity are utilized, making it a standard and economical option for efficient eddy current braking.

[0143] Specifically, in terms of eddy current damping effectiveness, copper, aluminum, and their alloys have excellent high electrical conductivity, which can generate strong eddy currents when cutting the magnetic field of the magnetic component 50. This characteristic directly ensures that the interaction between the eddy current and the magnetic field forms a significant damping torque, which can effectively suppress the rapid oscillation or violent rotation of the guide component 10, provide a stable and sufficient rotational damping force for the guide component 10, and ensure the smoothness of the rotation process.

[0144] Regarding the protection of rotational freedom, the non-ferromagnetic properties of copper, aluminum, and their alloys prevent magnetic attraction between the damping disc 60 and the magnetic component 50 made of permanent magnet. This characteristic ensures that the damping disc 60 and the magnetic component 50 always maintain a stable non-contact gap, preventing increased rotational resistance or abnormal gap changes due to magnetic attraction, thus guaranteeing the free and smooth rotation of the guide component 10 and maintaining the stability of the guide mechanism 100's working state.

[0145] In terms of economy and practicality, copper, aluminum, and their alloys are common standard materials in the engineering field, readily available, and processed using mature technologies, which can significantly reduce the manufacturing cost of mechanisms. At the same time, their stable physical properties ensure the consistency and reliability of eddy current braking effects, making them an economical and efficient material choice for achieving high-efficiency eddy current damping.

[0146] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the magnetic element 50 is a permanent magnet or an electromagnet.

[0147] In this type of embodiment, the magnetic component 50 is designed to use a permanent magnet or an electromagnet, which provides support for the realization of the rotational damping function.

[0148] Specifically, the permanent magnet solution provides a constant and passive damping effect. This type of embodiment requires no additional power supply or control components; the damping force is stably generated solely by the magnetic field characteristics of the permanent magnet itself. This simplifies structural design and reduces manufacturing costs and assembly complexity. Simultaneously, the passive operating mode reduces the risk of electrical failures, ensuring long-term reliable operation of the damping function, making it suitable for applications with high stability requirements and cost sensitivity.

[0149] For the electromagnet solution, it achieves dynamic and adjustable active damping control. By changing the power supply current of the electromagnet, the magnetic field strength can be precisely adjusted, thereby flexibly controlling the damping force and avoiding instantaneous damage to the consumable 70 due to a sudden increase in force.

[0150] For example, when the printer moves at high speed, the damping can be increased to suppress violent swaying, and when printing at low speed and in fine detail, the damping can be reduced to improve response sensitivity. This achieves dynamic matching between damping force and printing conditions, providing a hardware foundation for refined and intelligent control of the printing process and expanding the adaptability of the mechanism in complex printing scenarios.

[0151] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the permanent magnet is a neodymium iron boron permanent magnet, a samarium cobalt permanent magnet, or a ferrite permanent magnet.

[0152] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, the permanent magnet may also adopt a combination structure of neodymium iron boron permanent magnet, samarium cobalt permanent magnet, ferrite permanent magnet or other magnetic materials to provide a more suitable damping effect.

[0153] In this type of embodiment, neodymium iron boron permanent magnets, as the most powerful permanent magnet materials currently available, have certain economic advantages and can generate a strong magnetic field in a limited space. They can provide maximum damping force in compact structural designs, meet the needs of scenarios with high requirements for damping effect, and ensure efficient damping performance in a small volume.

[0154] Samarium cobalt permanent magnets have excellent high-temperature resistance and can maintain stable magnetic properties in high-temperature working environments. This ensures that the guide mechanism 100 can continuously provide reliable damping under conditions with large temperature fluctuations, avoiding the damping effect caused by magnetic force attenuation due to high temperature, and improving the applicability of the mechanism in special environments.

[0155] Ferrite permanent magnets have a significant advantage in terms of low cost, which can effectively reduce the overall cost of the solution while meeting the basic damping requirements. They provide a cost-effective option for product designs that pursue economic efficiency, balancing the relationship between performance and cost.

[0156] This selection of multiple types of permanent magnets allows for flexible design adaptation to different needs in terms of damping force, operating temperature, and cost control, significantly improving the practicality and scenario adaptability of the solution and providing precise permanent magnet solutions for products with different positioning.

[0157] In some exemplary embodiments of this application, a plurality of magnetic elements 50 are arranged in a ring array along the circumferential direction of the damping disk 60, and adjacent magnetic elements 50 are arranged facing the damping disk 60 in an alternating manner with magnetic poles.

[0158] By arranging multiple magnetic components 50 in a circular array along the circumference of the damping disk 60, and using an alternating arrangement of adjacent magnetic poles (NSNS…) facing the damping disk 60, a high-intensity and dynamically changing magnetic field environment is created. This arrangement can generate a dramatic change in magnetic field gradient on the surface of the damping disk 60. When the damping disk 60 rotates with the guide member 10, any point on its surface will rapidly and alternately experience the action of magnetic fields in different directions. The high-frequency reversal of the magnetic field direction greatly enhances the intensity and density of the induced eddy currents.

[0159] Under the same magnetic component specifications and installation space conditions, this alternating array structure can generate several times the damping torque compared to a unipolar layout, maximizing the eddy current braking efficiency. This engineering-proven standard and efficient layout design significantly improves the damping effect through the optimization of magnetic field distribution without increasing structural complexity or cost, ensuring stable braking performance of the guide component 10 during rotation, and providing strong support for the accuracy and reliability of the mechanism's dynamic response.

[0160] In some alternative solutions, the guide mechanism 100 may be provided with multiple sets of guide members 10, floating friction members 20 and reset members 30 sequentially along the path through which the consumable 70 passes.

[0161] like Figure 7 As shown in an exemplary embodiment of this application, a portion of the internal structure of the additive printing apparatus is illustrated. The material tray 200 is generally disc-shaped, the guide mechanism 100 is distributed in one corner around it, and the base 40 is connected to the support structure of the material tray 200. The rotating shaft 41 is generally parallel to the rotating shaft of the material tray 200.

[0162] According to one aspect of this application, a consumable 70 box is provided, which mainly includes the guide mechanism 100 as described above.

[0163] In this type of embodiment, the consumable cartridge 70 has an automated consumable cartridge delivery management capability. With the help of the guide mechanism 100's anti-tangling, automatic tensioning, and low-resistance delivery functions, the consumable cartridge 70 can effectively avoid tangling and knotting caused by excessive loosening during storage and output, while ensuring smoothness and stability during high-speed feeding. This reduces printing interruptions caused by abnormal consumable cartridge delivery, significantly improving the unattended reliability of the printing process and the user experience.

[0164] On the other hand, the Consumable 70 box also achieves integrated functional optimization. For humidity-sensitive engineering plastics such as PLA and ABS, this integrated design can combine the "dry storage" and "smooth feeding" functions into the same Consumable 70 box. While maintaining the stability of the storage environment of Consumable 70, the guide mechanism 100 continuously provides appropriate conveying damping and state adjustment, avoiding the performance degradation of Consumable 70 caused by environmental humidity or conveying stress, and further expanding the applicable scenarios and practical value of Consumable 70 box.

[0165] This integrated design upgrades the 70 filament box from a simple storage medium into a component with active management capabilities, which not only simplifies the peripheral configuration of the additive manufacturing device, but also improves the ease of use of the 70 filament box and the stability of the printing process.

[0166] According to one aspect of this application, an additive manufacturing apparatus is provided, which mainly includes the guide mechanism 100 as described above, or includes the consumable box 70 as described above.

[0167] In this type of embodiment, the additive manufacturing apparatus improves the overall printing reliability and stability of the machine from the source. Through the adaptive tensioning and anti-tangling mechanism of its guide mechanism 100, the tension of the filament 70 output from the tray 200 can be adjusted in real time, preventing the filament from tangling or falling off the tray 200 due to loosening or stacking. This solves the fundamental problem of filament feeding that has long plagued the industry, reducing printing failures caused by poor feeding (tangling, jamming, excessive / insufficient tension), thereby improving the overall performance of the printer.

[0168] 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.

[0169] Other embodiments of this specification will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the utility models claimed herein. This specification is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations that follow the general principles of this specification and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not claimed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this specification are indicated by the following claims.

[0170] It should be understood that this specification is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this specification is limited only by the appended claims.

[0171] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this specification and is not intended to limit this specification. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this specification should be included within the scope of protection of this specification.

Claims

1. A guiding mechanism for guiding consumables, characterized in that, include: A guide member defines an inner channel through which the consumable material passes, and the inner channel is provided with a first friction section and a second friction section in sequence along the conveying direction of the consumable material; A floating friction element is movably disposed in the inner channel to reciprocate between a first friction section and a second friction section. When the floating friction element is located in the first friction section, it forms a first frictional contact with the guide element, and when the floating friction element is located in the second friction section, it forms a second frictional contact with the guide element. The frictional force between the floating friction element and the guide element in the first frictional contact state is greater than the frictional force between the floating friction element and the guide element in the second frictional contact state. as well as A reset member, one end of which is fixed relative to the guide member and the other end is connected to the floating friction member, and is used to apply a reset force toward the first friction segment to the floating friction member when the consumable material is relaxed.

2. The guiding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, On a cross section perpendicular to the direction of movement of the consumable, the minimum cross-sectional width of the second friction segment is greater than the maximum cross-sectional width of the first friction segment.

3. The guiding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, A transition slope or arc surface is provided between the first friction section and the second friction section to guide the floating friction component to move smoothly.

4. The guiding mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The floating friction component is a rigid component; the maximum cross-sectional width of the first friction section is configured to be smaller than the maximum cross-sectional width of the floating friction component to form an interference fit.

5. The guiding mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The floating friction element is an elastic element, which undergoes elastic deformation under the radial compression of the guide element within the first friction section.

6. The guiding mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, The floating friction element includes an inner liner for contacting the consumable; when the floating friction element undergoes elastic deformation within the first friction section, the inner hole of its inner liner contracts to increase the frictional force between it and the consumable.

7. The guiding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, On a cross section perpendicular to the consumable conveying direction, the cross-sectional width of the first friction section is substantially the same as the cross-sectional width of the second friction section; the inner wall surface of the first friction section has a first coefficient of friction, and the inner wall surface of the second friction section has a second coefficient of friction, wherein the first coefficient of friction is greater than the second coefficient of friction.

8. The guiding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the floating friction component is provided with a high-friction lining.

9. The guiding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reset component is a tension spring; The tension spring is disposed between the inlet end of the guide and the floating friction member, with one end of the tension spring connected to the inlet end of the guide and the other end of the tension spring connected to the floating friction member.

10. The guiding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reset component is a compression spring, which is disposed between the floating friction component and the outlet end of the guide component. One end of the compression spring is connected to the floating friction component, and the other end of the compression spring is connected to the outlet end of the guide component.

11. The guiding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The guiding mechanism also includes: The base, to which the guide is rotatably connected.

12. The guiding mechanism according to claim 11, characterized in that, The guiding mechanism also includes One or more magnetic components are fixedly disposed on the base; and A damping disc, made of a non-ferromagnetic, highly conductive material, is fixedly connected to the guide member. The surface of the damping disc is disposed opposite to the magnetic member in a non-contact manner to generate electromagnetic damping during rotation.

13. The guiding mechanism according to claim 12, characterized in that, The plurality of magnetic components are arranged in a circular array along the circumference of the damping disk, and adjacent magnetic components are arranged facing the damping disk with alternating magnetic poles.

14. A consumable box, characterized in that, Includes the guiding mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. An additive manufacturing apparatus, characterized in that, The additive manufacturing apparatus includes the guiding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 13, or the additive manufacturing apparatus includes the consumable box according to claim 14.

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