A placeholder device and laser additive device

Abstract

The application relates to a kind of occupying device and laser additive device, to solve the problem that idle space below substrate assembly in existing equipment leads to waste of gas washing gas, poor substrate movement adaptability and structure vulnerable to laser high temperature damage, occupying device is arranged below substrate assembly, one end is fixedly arranged, the other end is connected with substrate assembly, the core includes a plurality of scalable occupying units that are sequentially connected along the vertical moving direction of substrate assembly, and an inlet and outlet are provided on the device, by occupying unit directly occupying part of idle space below substrate, the total amount of gas required for gas washing is greatly reduced to reduce cost;It can be folded and contracted or expanded and expanded synchronously with the lifting of substrate, and the occupying effect is continuously maintained;The series structure can flexibly adjust the extension stroke, and adapt to the large-scale movement demand of substrate;At the same time, by shielding and blocking laser direct radiation and high-temperature airflow impact by substrate, material overheating failure is avoided, the stability of occupying function is guaranteed, and the service life of the device is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of laser additive manufacturing, and in particular to a spacer device and a laser additive manufacturing apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In airtight laser wire feeding equipment, to prevent the material from reacting with impurities in the air during processing, operations are usually carried out in a sealed chamber. Before actual processing, the sealed chamber needs to be purged, that is, a specific gas is introduced to replace the air in the chamber in order to establish a gaseous environment that meets the process requirements.

[0003] As the core component supporting the workpiece, the substrate assembly needs to move vertically to adapt to changes in workpiece height or layer thickness. Inevitably, a certain amount of unused space exists beneath it. In existing technologies, this unused space is typically open. During gas scrubbing, this space needs to be filled with gas simultaneously with the entire sealed chamber, resulting in a large required scrubbing gas volume. This is particularly problematic in scenarios with large chamber volumes or deep spaces beneath the substrate, leading to significant gas waste and increased processing costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this application is to provide a space-occupying device and a laser additive manufacturing device that can effectively occupy the space below the substrate assembly to reduce gas washing waste.

[0005] The above-mentioned objective of this application is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0006] A spacer device is disposed below the substrate assembly of an airtight laser wire feeding device. One end is fixedly disposed and the other end is connected to the substrate assembly. The spacer device includes multiple retractable spacer units, which are connected in series along the vertical movement direction of the substrate assembly. The spacer device is provided with an air inlet and outlet.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the occupant unit is a hollow cavity with a pleated structure. The hollow cavity can extend along the vertical movement direction of the substrate assembly, so that the occupant unit can be folded and contracted or stretched and expanded in the vertical direction. The ends of two adjacent occupant units are connected, so that multiple occupant units are connected in series to form an internally connected cavity.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the occupant device includes end plates disposed at both ends of the occupant device, the end plates being sealed to the occupant units located at both ends, and the air inlet and outlet ports being opened on the lower end plate.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the size of the end plate is larger than the cross-sectional size of the occupant unit, and the outer side of the end plate protrudes from the occupant unit to form a plurality of mounting areas surrounding the occupant unit, wherein mounting holes are provided on the mounting areas.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the middle part of the occupant unit is recessed inward, and a plurality of the occupant units are connected to form a continuous wave-shaped extension.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a rigid support ring is embedded circumferentially on the inner side of the middle part of the occupant unit.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connection portion of two adjacent occupant units is fixed by hot-melt welding or glue sealing, and the wall thickness of the connection portion is greater than the wall thickness of the occupant unit body.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the extension and retraction strokes of the plurality of occupant units are consistent.

[0014] A laser additive manufacturing apparatus includes the aforementioned spacer device, and further includes a sealed chamber, a substrate assembly, and a laser filament feeding assembly. The substrate assembly, the laser filament feeding assembly, and the spacer device are all disposed within the sealed chamber. The substrate assembly has a printing substrate, a horizontal moving device, a front-to-back moving device, and a vertical moving device, which are sequentially connected. The laser filament feeding assembly is fixedly disposed above the printing substrate. The upper end of the spacer device is connected to the vertical moving device, and the lower end of the spacer device is fixedly disposed and has an air inlet / outlet, which is connected to the outside of the sealed chamber through a pipe.

[0015] A laser additive manufacturing apparatus includes the aforementioned placement device, and further includes a sealed chamber, a substrate assembly, and a laser filament feeding assembly. The substrate assembly, the laser filament feeding assembly, and the placement device are all disposed within the sealed chamber. The substrate assembly has a printing substrate and a Z-axis moving device, with the printing substrate connected to the Z-axis moving device. The laser filament feeding assembly has an X-axis moving device, a Y-axis moving device, and a laser filament feeding head, which are sequentially connected. The laser filament feeding head is fixedly disposed above the printing substrate. The upper end of the placement device is connected to the Z-axis moving device, and the lower end of the placement device is fixedly disposed and has an air inlet / outlet, which is connected to the outside of the sealed chamber via a pipe.

[0016] In summary, the beneficial technical effects of this application are as follows:

[0017] 1. This application provides a spacer located below the substrate assembly. By using the spacer's own structure to occupy part of the unused space below the substrate, the effective volume of gas replacement required in the sealed chamber is directly reduced. During gas washing, only the remaining space not covered by the spacer needs to be filled, which greatly reduces the total amount of gas required for washing. Especially in scenarios where the chamber volume is large or the space below the substrate is deep, gas waste can be significantly reduced and processing costs can be lowered.

[0018] 2. In this application, multiple retractable occupant units are connected in series along the vertical movement direction of the substrate assembly, so that the occupant device can fold and retract or extend and expand synchronously with the rise and fall of the substrate assembly. When the substrate assembly rises, the occupant unit folds and retracts, still occupying the corresponding space below the substrate; when the substrate assembly falls, the occupant unit extends and expands, synchronously filling the newly added idle space, ensuring that the occupant device can always effectively occupy the space below the substrate assembly throughout the entire movement stroke, avoiding the increase in scrubbing gas consumption due to the re-exposure of idle space caused by substrate movement, and continuously maintaining the effect of saving gas.

[0019] 3. The occupancy device of this application achieves telescopic movement through multiple occupancy units connected in series. Compared with a fixed structure or a single-segment telescopic structure, its telescopic stroke can be flexibly adjusted by increasing the number of occupancy units, which can adapt to the vertical movement requirements of the substrate assembly over a large range. The occupancy function will not limit the movement range of the substrate, thus ensuring the adaptability of the equipment to the processing of workpieces of different heights.

[0020] 4. The occupant device of this application is located below the substrate assembly, and its position is naturally shielded by the substrate assembly. This can block the direct radiation of the laser, reduce the direct impact of the high-temperature airflow on the device, effectively resist the high temperature influence of the processing environment, avoid the material from hardening, cracking or sealing failure due to overheating, ensure the long-term stability of the occupant function, extend the service life of the device, and further ensure the continuity of the gas-saving effect. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the occupant device in its expanded state.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the spacer device in its retracted state.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a side view schematic diagram of one embodiment of a laser additive manufacturing device.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a top view schematic diagram of one embodiment of a laser additive manufacturing device.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a side view schematic diagram of another embodiment of the laser additive manufacturing apparatus.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of a laser additive manufacturing device.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Occupant device; 11. Occupant unit; 12. Air inlet / outlet; 13. End plate; 131. Mounting area; 132. Mounting hole; 2. Substrate assembly; 21. Printing substrate; 22. Horizontal moving device; 23. Forward / backward moving device; 24. Vertical moving device; 25. Z-axis moving device; 3. Laser filament feeding assembly; 31. Laser filament feeding head; 32. Y-axis moving device; 33. X-axis moving device. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] like Figures 1-2 As shown, a spacer device 1 is used in an airtight laser wire feeding device. The spacer device 1 is installed below the substrate assembly 2 of the airtight laser wire feeding device to occupy part of the space below the substrate assembly 2, so as to reduce gas consumption during the gas washing process of the device.

[0030] Specifically, one end of the occupant device 1 is fixed, and its fixed end is fixedly connected to the bottom of the equipment frame or sealed chamber through a connecting structure to ensure that the position of this end remains unchanged during the movement of the substrate assembly 2; the other end is connected to the substrate assembly 2, and the connection method can be a detachable bolt connection or snap-fit, which can move synchronously with the substrate assembly 2 and is easy to disassemble.

[0031] Furthermore, the occupancy device 1 consists of multiple occupancy units 11, all of which are retractable and are connected in series along the vertical movement direction of the substrate assembly 2. The vertical movement direction of the substrate assembly 2 is the direction in which the printing substrate 21 rises or falls in the device. Specifically, the direction in which the printing substrate 21 rises or falls in the device is as follows: Figure 3 as well as Figure 5 The vertical direction within. It's worth noting that "stretchable" means the occupant unit 11 can fold and contract or expand and extend in the vertical direction. This can be achieved using a corrugated structure similar to a bellows, where each occupant unit 11 is a hollow cavity with pleats extending vertically along its sidewalls, such as... Figure 1 As shown, when the substrate assembly 2 rises, the folds unfold, and the occupant unit 11 extends and expands to increase the overall length; as Figure 2 As shown, when the substrate assembly 2 descends, the folds are squeezed and the occupant unit 11 folds and contracts to shorten the overall length.

[0032] Furthermore, when multiple occupant units 11 are connected in series, the ends of two adjacent occupant units 11 are fixed by existing sealing connection structures such as hot-melt welding, glue sealing, or clamps with sealing rings, so that the interior of the multiple occupant units 11 connected in series forms a continuous and interconnected cavity, ensuring the integrity of the internal space of the entire occupant device 1. Through the structure of multiple retractable occupant units 11 connected in series, it can flexibly adapt to the large range of vertical movement of the substrate assembly 2, always occupying part of the space below the substrate assembly 2, thereby effectively reducing the space volume required for gas filling during gas purging of the gas-tight laser wire feeding equipment, achieving the purpose of saving gas and reducing costs.

[0033] In addition, the occupant device 1 is also provided with an air inlet / outlet 12. The air inlet / outlet 12 can be opened at the fixed end of the device, the side wall of any occupant unit 11, or the connecting part. Its function is to connect to an external air source and regulate the internal air pressure by introducing or extracting gas into the internal cavity of the device. When the occupant device 1 needs to extend or retract, the balance between the internal air pressure and the external ambient air pressure can be adjusted through the air inlet / outlet 12 to reduce the resistance when the substrate assembly 2 moves. At the same time, the adjustment of the internal air pressure can also enhance the structural stability of the occupant unit 11, prevent it from being excessively deformed due to the action of external air pressure during the extension and retraction process, and ensure the stability of the occupancy effect.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the occupant unit 11 is specifically a hollow cavity with a pleated structure, which is columnar in shape and forms a closed cavity structure inside. Here, the pleated structure refers to the recessed or protruding shape distributed on the sidewall of the hollow cavity along the vertical movement direction of the substrate assembly 2. These pleats can be common stretchable shapes such as V-shape, U-shape, or wave shape. A certain distance is left between the crests and troughs of adjacent pleats, so that the sidewall of the cavity has the extensibility in the vertical direction.

[0035] When the substrate assembly 2 moves vertically, this pleated structure provides expansion and contraction space for the occupant unit 11. When the substrate assembly 2 descends and moves the movable end of the occupant device 1 downwards, the occupant unit 11 is subjected to axial pressure, the pleats are squeezed and overlapped, and the entire unit folds and contracts vertically, shortening its length. When the substrate assembly 2 rises and moves the movable end upwards, the occupant unit 11 is subjected to axial tension, the pleats are stretched and extended, and the entire unit extends and expands vertically, increasing its length. Through the deformation of this pleated structure, the occupant unit 11 can flexibly adapt to the movement of the substrate assembly 2, always maintaining its occupation of the space below the substrate.

[0036] In another preferred embodiment, each occupier unit 11 has a continuous and uniform inwardly recessed structure in its central region along the circumference. That is, the sidewalls of the occupier unit 11 gradually contract inward from both ends towards the middle, making the cross-sectional dimension of the middle part of the unit smaller than that of the two ends, giving it an overall waist-like outline. This recessed structure is not an arbitrarily designed local deformation, but is determined according to the expansion and contraction requirements of the occupier unit 11 and the overall structural stability. The recess depth is adjusted in conjunction with parameters such as the unit's diameter and wall thickness, which not only preserves sufficient internal cavity volume to achieve the occupying function, but also reserves reasonable deformation space for subsequent expansion and contraction.

[0037] When multiple such occupant units 11 with a central recess are connected in series, the larger ends of adjacent units are connected to each other, and the central recessed area of ​​each unit forms a continuous undulating wave-like extension in the axial direction. This wave-like structure not only makes the occupant device 1 more regular overall, but also provides a buffer for the deformation of adjacent units during the expansion and contraction process, avoiding the impact of mutual compression or pulling between units on the smoothness of expansion and contraction, and ensuring that the overall movement is more stable when the substrate assembly 2 drives the occupant device 1 to move.

[0038] Within the central recessed area of ​​each spacer unit 11, a rigid support ring is also circumferentially embedded. This support ring can be made of a rigid material commonly used in the prior art, and its outer diameter matches the inner wall diameter of the central recess of the spacer unit 11 to achieve a stable embedding effect. During the manufacturing of the spacer unit 11, an annular groove is pre-machined into the inner wall of the central recessed area. After the rigid support ring is embedded into the groove, it can be fixed by local heat fusion or by applying sealant to assist bonding, preventing circumferential rotation or axial displacement of the support ring during the expansion and contraction of the spacer unit 11. The rigid support ring is designed to prevent excessive radial deformation of the occupant unit 11 due to the central recessed structure. When the occupant device 1 adjusts the internal air pressure through the air inlet / outlet 12 or expands / contracts with the substrate assembly 2, the central recessed area is prone to irregular deformation due to stress, either bulging outwards or contracting inwards. The rigid support ring provides circumferential support, limiting the range of such radial deformation. At the same time, the support ring also enhances the structural strength of the central part of the occupant unit 11, preventing cracking due to fatigue stress in the recessed area after long-term repeated expansion and contraction, thereby ensuring the service life of the occupant unit 11 and the overall airtightness.

[0039] Furthermore, the extension and retraction strokes of the multiple occupant units 11 constituting the occupant device 1 are consistent. Here, extension and retraction stroke refers to the length change of a single occupant unit 11 from a fully folded / contracted state to a fully extended / expanded state. For example, if a occupant unit 11 has a length of 60mm when fully retracted and 120mm when fully extended, then its extension and retraction stroke is 60mm. All occupant units 11 in the device must maintain the same extension and retraction stroke. Consistent extension and retraction strokes of multiple occupant units 11 ensure that all units of the occupant device 1 fold / contract or extend / expand synchronously as it rises and falls with the substrate assembly 2. This prevents some units from extending / retracting excessively while others extend / retract insufficiently, avoiding tilting or localized stacking of the occupant device 1 and ensuring that it always occupies the space below the substrate assembly 2 evenly and flatly. Simultaneously, this synchronicity reduces additional lateral tension or pressure on the substrate assembly 2 caused by asynchronous extension and retraction, ensuring the accuracy and stability of the substrate assembly 2's vertical movement.

[0040] Furthermore, the ends of two adjacent occupant units 11 are fixed by a sealed connection. Preferably, the port edges of adjacent units can be fused together by hot-melt welding, or the ports can be bonded and fixed by aging-resistant sealant, with no gaps at the connection points. This ensures that when multiple occupant units 11 are connected in series, their internal cavities can communicate with each other to form a continuous integral cavity. This internally connected design allows the occupant device 1 to uniformly adjust the internal air pressure through the air inlet and outlet ports 12. When a unit expands or contracts, the internal gas can flow in the connected cavity, avoiding structural deformation caused by excessively high or low local air pressure, while also ensuring the stability of the occupant volume of the entire device.

[0041] Meanwhile, the wall thickness of the connection point between adjacent occupant units 11, i.e., the mating area at the ends of the two units, is set to be greater than the wall thickness of the middle part of the occupant unit 11. The connection point is the area where the stress is concentrated during the expansion and contraction of the occupant device 1. When the occupant unit 11 folds and contracts or expands and extends with the rise and fall of the substrate assembly 2, the connection point needs to withstand the axial tensile or compressive force transmitted by the adjacent unit, and long-term repeated deformation can easily cause stress concentration at this point. By increasing the wall thickness of the connection point, the structural strength and fatigue resistance of this area can be significantly improved, avoiding cracking or breakage at the connection due to repeated stress. At the same time, it can also enhance the sealing reliability, reduce the risk of sealing failure due to deformation, and ensure that the overall cavity formed by multiple occupant units 11 connected in series always remains airtight, ensuring the long-term stable use of the occupant device 1.

[0042] The occupant device 1 also includes two end plates 13, which are respectively disposed at both ends of the axial direction of the entire occupant device 1. One end plate 13 is fixedly disposed, while the other end plate 13 is connected to the substrate assembly 2 and moves vertically with the printing substrate 21.

[0043] The two end plates 13 are respectively sealed to the occupant units 11 located at both ends of the occupant device 1. For example, an annular sealing groove is opened on the mating surface of the end plate 13 and the occupant unit 11, and an aging-resistant rubber sealing ring is embedded in the groove. Then, the end of the occupant unit 11 is fitted onto the mating part of the end plate 13 and fastened with a clamp, or the end of the occupant unit 11 is fused to the end plate 13 by a hot melt process to ensure that there is no gas leakage at the connection between the two, thereby ensuring the airtightness of the internal cavity of the entire occupant device 1 and avoiding the instability of internal air pressure due to the connection gap, which would affect the occupant effect.

[0044] Meanwhile, the air inlet / outlet 12 for connecting to an external air source or air extraction device is located on the end plate 13 below the spacer 1. Here, "below" means that after the end plate 13 is fixedly installed, it is located on the side near the bottom of the device. The air inlet / outlet 12 can be designed as an interface structure with internal threads to facilitate connection with external air pipes and valves via threads. Subsequently, air can be injected or extracted into the internal cavity of the spacer 1 through this interface to adjust the internal air pressure and adapt to the movement of the base plate assembly 2.

[0045] Both end plates 13 are larger than the cross-sectional dimensions of the occupant unit 11, allowing the outer edges of the end plates 13 to protrude outwards from the occupant unit 11, forming a mounting area 131 surrounding the occupant unit 11. This mounting area 131 is a flat planar structure, and each mounting area 131 has a mounting hole 132.

[0046] The purpose of these mounting areas 131 and mounting holes 132 is to achieve the fixed connection between the end plate 13 and other components. The lower end plate 13 can be fixed to the frame of the equipment or the fixed structure at the bottom of the sealed chamber by bolts passing through the mounting holes 132 on its mounting area 131, thereby fixing one end of the entire occupant device 1. The upper end plate 13 is connected to the bottom of the base plate assembly 2 through the mounting holes 132 on its mounting area 131. For example, bolts are passed through the mounting holes 132 and screwed into the corresponding screw holes of the base plate assembly 2 to ensure that the end plate 13 can move vertically synchronously with the base plate assembly 2. Since the mounting area 131 is arranged around the occupant unit 11, the bolts can be evenly stressed from all sides, avoiding deformation of the connection between the end plate 13 and the occupant unit 11 due to uneven stress, further ensuring the sealing effect and the stability of the overall structure.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4The diagram illustrates a laser additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising a sealed chamber, a substrate assembly 2, and a laser wire feeding assembly 3. The sealed chamber has an openable sealing door on its side wall, providing high airtightness. An argon protective atmosphere can be created within the chamber via an external inert gas generator to prevent the molten metal from reacting with air during the printing process. The sealed chamber integrates the substrate assembly 2, the laser wire feeding assembly 3, and the aforementioned spacer device 1.

[0048] The substrate assembly 2 includes a printing substrate 21, a vertical moving device 24, a front-to-back moving device 23, and a horizontal moving device 22. Preferably, the vertical moving device 24, the front-to-back moving device 23, and the horizontal moving device 22 all employ high-precision linear modules or ball screw transmission mechanisms. The substrate assembly 2 serves as the component carrying the printed workpiece. Specifically, the connection sequence is as follows: the fixed end of the vertical moving device 24 is rigidly fixed to the bottom of the sealed chamber, and its moving end is connected to the base of the front-to-back moving device 23; the moving end of the front-to-back moving device 23 is connected to the base of the horizontal moving device 22; and the moving end of the horizontal moving device 22 is connected to the bottom surface of the printing substrate 21. Here, the horizontal moving device 22, the front-to-back moving device 23, and the vertical moving device 24 are used to drive the printing substrate 21 to move along the horizontal, longitudinal, and vertical directions, respectively. Through the coordinated movement of these three axes, the printing substrate 21 can support and adapt to the position of workpieces of different sizes and layer thicknesses.

[0049] The laser wire feeding assembly 3 is fixedly installed directly above the printing substrate 21. Specifically, an L-shaped metal bracket is provided in the sealed chamber, and the main body of the laser wire feeding assembly 3 is fixed on the bottom surface of the horizontal end of the bracket. The outlet end of the wire feeding nozzle and the laser beam path of the laser emitter are precisely intersected on the printing surface of the printing substrate 21, ensuring that the welding wire can be melted by the laser immediately after being fed out, forming a stable molten pool to meet the molding requirements of additive manufacturing.

[0050] The upper end of the occupant device 1 is connected to the moving end of the vertical moving device 24 via its upper end plate 13, and is connected to the vertical moving device 24 instead of directly connecting to the printing substrate 21. This avoids additional shaking of the occupant device 1 when the printing substrate 21 moves horizontally, and at the same time ensures that the occupant device 1 can adapt to the raising and lowering of the printing substrate 21 according to the overall layout of the vertical moving device 24. The lower end of the occupant device 1 is fixed, realizing a structure in which one end is fixed and the other end adapts to the raising and lowering of the substrate with the vertical moving device 24.

[0051] In addition, the air inlet and outlet ports 12 on the end plate 13 at the lower end of the occupant device 1 are connected to the outside of the sealed chamber through a pipe. The pipe passes through the sealed chamber and is sealed with a through-plate joint with a sealing ring to prevent gas leakage inside the chamber. Preferably, the end of the pipe outside the chamber is connected to a manual regulating valve and a pressure gauge in sequence. The operator can adjust the valve opening to fill or evacuate the internal cavity of the occupant device 1 and control its internal air pressure in real time. This ensures that the occupant device 1 can fold and contract or extend and expand synchronously with the movement of the vertical moving device 24, always occupying the idle space below the printing substrate 21 and reducing the amount of gas filling during the gas washing of the sealed chamber.

[0052] In actual operation, the printing substrate 21 moves to the set printing position. At this time, the occupant device 1 has a certain height and occupies part of the space below the printing substrate 21, greatly reducing the volume of inert gas that needs to be filled. Then, the sealed chamber is purged, i.e., inert gas replacement is performed. After purging, the printing operation is carried out. During the printing process, the printing substrate 21 is driven to move horizontally relative to the laser wire feeding assembly 3 by the horizontal moving device 22 and the front and rear moving device 23 to complete single-layer printing. After each layer is printed, the vertical moving device 24 drives the printing substrate 21 to descend by a preset layer thickness distance. The occupant device 1 extends and retracts synchronously to reduce the space occupied. At this time, inert gas is still continuously introduced into the sealed chamber.

[0053] Throughout the process, the air inlet and outlet 12 of the occupant device 1 can be finely adjusted as needed to ensure smooth extension and retraction and maintain good airtightness at all times. This will not interfere with the movement accuracy of the substrate assembly 2, and will also continue to save gas.

[0054] In another preferred embodiment, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the key features are achieved by simplifying the driving structure of the substrate assembly 2 and optimizing the moving layout of the laser wire feeding assembly 3, thereby achieving both overall compactness and printing accuracy of the device.

[0055] The laser additive manufacturing device also includes a sealed chamber, a substrate assembly 2, and a laser filament feeding assembly 3. The side wall of the sealed chamber is equipped with an observation window with a sealing ring to facilitate observation of the printing process. The top of the chamber is reserved with a gas replacement interface for subsequent introduction of inert gas. The overall airtightness meets the requirements and can effectively isolate external air, providing an inert protective atmosphere for additive printing.

[0056] The sealed chamber is equipped with a substrate assembly 2, a laser wire feeding assembly 3, and the aforementioned occupant device 1. The substrate assembly 2 includes a printing substrate 21 and a Z-axis moving device 25 to realize vertical adjustment of the printing position. The Z-axis moving device 25 is a high-precision ball screw slide. The fixed end of the Z-axis moving device 25 is rigidly fixed to the bottom of the sealed chamber. A square transition plate is welded to the moving end of the slide. The printing substrate 21 is connected to the transition plate.

[0057] Furthermore, the spacer device 1 is adapted to the structure of the Z-axis moving device 25, enabling synchronous extension and retraction with the lifting and lowering of the substrate. The upper end plate 13 of the spacer device 1 is connected to the moving end of the Z-axis moving device 25, and the lower end plate 13 of the spacer device 1 is fixed to the bottom of the sealed chamber. At the same time, the air inlet and outlet ports 12 opened on the lower end plate 13 of the spacer device 1 are connected to the outside through a pipe. The pipe passes through the sealing joint at the bottom of the sealed chamber, extends to the outside of the chamber, and is connected in sequence to a manual shut-off valve and a pressure gauge. The operator can adjust the shut-off valve to inflate or vent air into the internal cavity of the spacer device 1, control the air pressure in the cavity in real time, so that the spacer device 1 can fold and retract or extend and expand synchronously with the lifting and lowering of the printing substrate 21 driven by the Z-axis moving device 25.

[0058] The laser wire feeding assembly 3 includes an X-axis moving device 33, a Y-axis moving device 32, and a laser wire feeding head 31. The X-axis moving device 33 and the Y-axis moving device 32 serve as the horizontal drive structure for the laser wire feeding head 31, achieving full coverage of the printing area. Two parallel crossbeams are welded to the inner wall of the top of the sealed chamber. The Y-axis moving device 32 is also a ball screw slide, and its fixed end is connected across the two crossbeams and locked with bolts. The fixed end of the X-axis moving device 33 is bolted to the moving end of the Y-axis moving device 32, and the axes of the X-axis and Y-axis are perpendicular to each other, forming a two-dimensional moving mechanism on a horizontal plane. The laser wire feeding head 31 integrates a fiber laser, a stainless steel wire feeding nozzle, and a cooling water channel. The laser wire feeding head 31 is fixed on the moving end of the X-axis moving device 33. The outlet end of the wire feeding nozzle of the laser wire feeding head 31 precisely intersects with the focal point of the laser beam at the same position, ensuring that the welding wire can be instantly melted by the laser after being fed from the wire feeding nozzle to form a molten pool, meeting the requirements of layered printing.

[0059] The embodiments described in this specific implementation are preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A space-occupying device, characterized in that, Located below the substrate assembly (2) of the airtight laser wire feeding device, with one end fixed and the other end connected to the substrate assembly (2), it includes multiple retractable occupant units (11). The multiple occupant units (11) are connected in series along the vertical movement direction of the substrate assembly (2). The occupant device (1) is provided with an air inlet / outlet (12).

2. The occupant device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The occupant unit (11) is a hollow cavity with a pleated structure. The hollow cavity can extend along the vertical movement direction of the substrate assembly (2), so that the occupant unit (11) can be folded and contracted or stretched and expanded in the vertical direction. The ends of two adjacent occupant units (11) are connected, so that multiple occupant units (11) are connected in series to form an internally connected cavity.

3. The occupant device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Includes end plates (13), which are disposed at both ends of the occupant device (1). The end plates (13) are sealed to the occupant units (11) located at both ends. The air inlets and outlets (12) are opened on the end plates (13) located below.

4. The occupant device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The end plate (13) is larger than the cross-sectional dimension of the occupant unit (11). The outer side of the end plate (13) protrudes from the occupant unit (11) to form a plurality of mounting areas (131) surrounding the occupant unit (11). Mounting holes (132) are provided on the mounting areas (131).

5. The occupant device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The middle part of the occupant unit (11) is recessed inward, and several occupant units (11) are connected to form a continuous wave-shaped extension.

6. The occupant device according to claim 5, characterized in that, A rigid support ring is embedded circumferentially on the inner side of the middle part of the occupant unit (11).

7. The occupant device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connection between two adjacent occupant units (11) is fixed by hot melt welding or glue sealing, and the wall thickness of the connection is greater than the wall thickness of the occupant unit (11) body.

8. The occupant device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The extension and retraction strokes of the multiple occupant units (11) are consistent.

9. A laser additive manufacturing device, characterized in that, The device includes the occupant device (1) according to any one of claims 1-8, and further includes a sealed chamber, a substrate assembly (2) and a laser wire feeding assembly (3), wherein the substrate assembly (2), the laser wire feeding assembly (3) and the occupant device (1) are all disposed in the sealed chamber, and the substrate assembly (2) has a printing substrate (21), a horizontal moving device (22), a front-back moving device (23) and a vertical moving device (24), wherein the printing substrate (21), the horizontal moving device (22), the front-back moving device (23) and the vertical moving device (24) are connected in sequence; The laser filament feeding assembly (3) is fixedly disposed above the printing substrate (21); The upper end of the occupant device (1) is connected to the vertical moving device (24), and the lower end of the occupant device (1) is fixedly provided with the air inlet and outlet (12). The air inlet and outlet (12) is connected to the outside of the sealed cavity through a pipe.

10. A laser additive manufacturing device, characterized in that, The device includes the occupant (1) according to any one of claims 1-8, and further includes a sealed chamber, a substrate assembly (2) and a laser wire feeding assembly (3), wherein the substrate assembly (2), the laser wire feeding assembly (3) and the occupant (1) are all disposed in the sealed chamber, and the substrate assembly (2) has a printing substrate (21) and a Z-axis moving device (25), wherein the printing substrate (21) is connected to the Z-axis moving device (25); The laser wire feeding assembly (3) has an X-axis moving device (33), a Y-axis moving device (32) and a laser wire feeding head (31). The laser wire feeding head (31), the X-axis moving device (33) and the Y-axis moving device (32) are connected in sequence. The laser wire feeding head (31) is fixedly disposed above the printing substrate (21). The upper end of the occupant device (1) is connected to the Z-axis moving device (25), and the lower end of the occupant device (1) is fixedly provided with the air inlet and outlet (12). The air inlet and outlet (12) is connected to the outside of the sealed cavity through a pipe.

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