A screw extrusion type three-dimensional printer feeding device

Abstract

The utility model relates to three -dimensional printer technical field especially relates to a screw extrusion formula three -dimensional printer feeding device, including printer frame, the hopper is installed at the bottom of printer frame, feeding mechanism, the feeding mechanism includes drive motor and feeding screw, temperature processing mechanism, temperature processing mechanism includes the forming cabin, heat dissipation subassembly, first heating assembly and second heating assembly, heat dissipation subassembly and first heating assembly are installed gradually from top to bottom in the outer wall of forming cabin, second heating assembly is installed at the bottom of forming cabin, and the bottom of second heating assembly is connected with the nozzle. The granular material in hopper and forming cabin all carries out transmission through screw pump, improves the delivery efficiency and improves the delivery stability, and through the mode of segmented heating, avoids the blockage of delivery channel, effectively improves the printing efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of 3D printer technology, and in particular to a feeding device for a screw extrusion 3D printer. Background Technology

[0002] 3D printing is a type of rapid prototyping technology that has developed rapidly in recent years. Its principle is as follows: first, a solid model is created using 3D modeling software; then, slicing software slices the model layer by layer. During operation, the 3D printer reads the information from the cross-section of each layer and uses powdered metal or plastic and other bondable materials to print layer by layer, thus creating a three-dimensional solid. This technology has been widely applied in many fields such as industrial design, automotive, aerospace, and mold manufacturing.

[0003] FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology is one of the mainstream 3D printing technologies, which mainly uses thermoplastic plastics such as ABS and PLA as printing consumables.

[0004] Granular raw materials are widely used in the field of 3D printing due to their advantages of low cost and high extrusion volume. However, the granules near the heating zone soften due to heat transfer during printing, causing blockages and preventing normal printing. Therefore, current FDM technology has high requirements for the flowability, shrinkage rate, and strength of the granules.

[0005] Existing solutions involve adding a pneumatic feeding device or a screw pump to increase the thrust. However, pneumatic devices are complex in structure, occupy a lot of space, and have low practicality. While screw pumps can increase the thrust to some extent, the granular material is prone to clogging during feeding, resulting in uneven feeding and affecting printing efficiency and quality. Utility Model Content

[0006] In view of this, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a feeding device for a screw extrusion type 3D printer, which can convey the granular material in the storage hopper and the forming chamber through a screw pump, thereby improving the feeding efficiency and feeding stability. Furthermore, by using segmented heating, it avoids blockage of the feeding channel and effectively improves printing efficiency.

[0007] The technical solution of this utility model is: A feeding device for a screw extrusion type 3D printer includes: A printer frame, wherein a storage hopper is installed at the bottom of the printer frame, and a first screw is provided inside the storage hopper; A molding chamber, the interior of which is connected to the interior of a storage hopper, and a second screw and at least one third screw are provided inside the molding chamber; A nozzle assembly, comprising a throat and a nozzle mounted at the bottom of a molding chamber, the throat communicating with the interior of the molding chamber; The temperature regulating mechanism includes a heat dissipation component, a first heating component, and a second heating component. Both the heat dissipation component and the first heating component are installed on the outer wall of the molding chamber, with the heat dissipation component close to the storage hopper and the second heating component sleeved on the throat pipe.

[0008] The present invention is further configured such that a conveying pipe is connected between the storage hopper and the forming chamber, and the lower end of the first screw is inserted into the conveying pipe.

[0009] The present invention is further configured such that a mounting bracket is installed on the printer frame, a drive motor is installed on the mounting bracket, the drive motor is connected to a second screw, and the top end of the first screw is rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket.

[0010] The present invention is further configured such that a drive rod is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor via a coupling, and the drive rod is fixedly connected to the second screw.

[0011] The present invention is further configured such that a first driving wheel and a second driving wheel are fixed on the driving rod, a first induction wheel is fixed on the first screw, and the first driving wheel and the first induction wheel are connected by a synchronous belt drive.

[0012] The present invention is further configured such that a second inducer wheel is fixed on the third screw above the molding chamber, and the second drive wheel and the second inducer wheel are connected by a synchronous belt drive.

[0013] The present invention is further configured such that the first screw, the second screw and the third screw are all provided with helical blades along the axial direction, and the radial dimensions of the second screw and the third screw have a gradually increasing structure from top to bottom.

[0014] The present invention is further configured such that the heat dissipation component includes a plurality of heat dissipation fins, and the plurality of heat dissipation fins are fixed at equal intervals on the outer wall of the molding chamber.

[0015] In summary, this utility model has the following beneficial effects: 1. By installing a first screw in the storage hopper, the granular material can enter the forming chamber more smoothly, thereby improving the material conveying efficiency.

[0016] 2. By setting a second screw and multiple third screws in the molding chamber, the granules in the molding chamber are subjected to greater thrust, improving the discharge efficiency; and the first screw, second screw and third screw only need one drive motor to provide power, saving space in the printing chamber.

[0017] 3. By setting up a first heating component and a second heating component, the granular material is heated in stages, which improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation component and can effectively avoid clogging, thereby improving printing efficiency and printing quality. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the feeding device; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Enlarged structural diagram at point A; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Enlarged structural diagram at point B; Figure 4 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the second screw; Figure 5 This is a top-view enlarged structural diagram of the mounting frame, drive motor, and storage hopper; Figure 6 This is an enlarged structural schematic diagram of the molding chamber and temperature control mechanism; Figure 7 This is a top-view enlarged structural diagram showing the positional relationship between the first screw and the second screw.

[0019] In the picture, 1. Printer stand; 2. Drive motor; 21. Drive rod; 22. Second screw; 23. Mounting bracket; 24. First drive wheel; 25. Second drive wheel; 26. Second inducer wheel; 27. Third screw; 3. Storage hopper; 31. First screw; 32. Conveying pipe; 33. First inducer wheel; 4. Molding chamber; 5. Heat dissipation components; 6. First heating component; 7. Second heating component; 8. Throat; 9. Nozzle. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the exemplary embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not an exhaustive list of all embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0021] The following will refer to the appendix. Figure 1-7 The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments.

[0022] This embodiment provides a feeding device for a screw extrusion type 3D printer, including: A printer frame 1 has a mounting bracket 23 connected to its top by bolts or screws, with a gap between the mounting bracket 23 and the printer frame 1. A drive motor 2 is mounted on the top of the mounting bracket 23 by bolts or screws, and a first screw 31 is connected to the bottom of the mounting bracket 23 by a bearing. A mounting through-hole is provided at the bottom of the printer frame 1, and a storage hopper 3 is mounted on the inner wall of the mounting through-hole by bolts or screws. The bottom of the storage hopper 3 has a conical structure to facilitate smoother feeding of granular material. The first screw 31 is located inside the storage hopper 3, and the mounting bracket 23 is connected to the first screw 31 by a bearing, allowing the first screw 31 to rotate within the storage hopper 3.

[0023] The molding chamber 4 and the storage hopper 3 are connected by a conveying pipe 32 by welding or bolting. The interior of the molding chamber 4 and the interior of the storage hopper 3 are connected by the conveying pipe 32. The conveying pipe 32 is located at the center of the top of the molding chamber 4, so that the granular material is more evenly distributed when it is conveyed into the molding chamber 4.

[0024] The lower end of the first screw 31 is inserted into the conveying pipe 32, and a matching gap of 0.1-0.3mm is left between the outer wall of the first screw 31 and the inner wall of the conveying pipe 32 to ensure that the granular material is leak-free and conveyed smoothly.

[0025] The top of the molding chamber 4 is provided with multiple mounting through holes, and the multiple mounting through holes are respectively connected to the second screw 22 and at least one third screw 27 through bearings.

[0026] The nozzle assembly includes a throat 8 and a nozzle 9 installed at the bottom of the molding chamber 4 by welding or bolting. The throat 8 communicates with the interior of the molding chamber 4, and the bottom of the throat 8 is connected to the nozzle 9 by welding or integral molding.

[0027] The temperature regulating mechanism includes a heat dissipation component 5, a first heating component 6, and a second heating component 7. The heat dissipation component 5 and the first heating component 6 are installed on the outer wall of the molding chamber 4 from top to bottom by bolts or screws. The heat dissipation component 5 is close to the storage hopper 3, and the second heating component 7 is sleeved on the throat pipe 8.

[0028] The heat dissipation component 5 dissipates heat to the upper part of the forming chamber 4, keeping the granular material in the upper part of the forming chamber 4 in a solid state and preventing blockage. The heating temperature of the first heating component 6 is lower than that of the second heating component 7. Its function is to preheat the granular material entering the lower part of the forming chamber 4. During the preheating stage, it is only necessary to heat the granular material to a liquefied state so that it can continue to be conveyed downwards. The bottom of the forming chamber 4 is also a conical structure to facilitate the downward conveying of the liquefied granular material.

[0029] After the liquefied material enters the throat 8, it is melted and heated by the second heating component 7 to reach the molten state required for printing. This arrangement separates the heat dissipation component 5 and the second heating component 7. The heat dissipation component 5 only dissipates heat to the area near the first heating component 6 where the temperature is lower, without needing to dissipate heat to the area near the second heating component 7 where the temperature is higher. This can accelerate the heat dissipation efficiency and reduce the printer's heating power consumption.

[0030] The top of the printer frame 1 is connected to a mounting bracket 23 by welding or bolts. A drive motor 2 is mounted on the mounting bracket 23 by bolts or screws. A drive rod 21 is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor 2 by a coupling. The drive rod 21 is fixedly connected to the second screw 22 by welding or bolts. The drive rod 21 passes through the mounting bracket 23 and the printer frame 1.

[0031] The outer wall of the drive rod 21 is connected to a first drive wheel 24 and a second drive wheel 25 by welding or bolting. The first drive wheel 24 is located in the gap between the printer frame 1 and the mounting frame 23, and the second drive wheel 25 is located above the forming chamber 4.

[0032] The first screw 31 is connected to a first induction wheel 33 by welding or bolting at its top end. The first drive wheel 24 and the first induction wheel 33 are connected by a synchronous belt drive. The third screw 27 is connected to a second induction wheel 26 above the forming chamber 4 by welding or bolting. The second drive wheel 25 and the second induction wheel 26 are connected by a synchronous belt drive. When working, the drive motor 2 can simultaneously drive the first screw 31, the second screw 22, and the third screw 27 to rotate, avoiding excessive drive devices occupying printing space.

[0033] The first screw 31, the second screw 22, and the third screw 27 are all provided with helical blades along the axial direction by welding or integral molding. The radial dimensions of the second screw 22 and the third screw 27 gradually increase from top to bottom. This gradual structure can gradually increase the extrusion thrust as the material is conveyed downward, improve the feeding rate, and prevent the material from accumulating in the lower part of the forming chamber 4. At the same time, it is compatible with the conical structure at the bottom of the forming chamber 4, further improving the smoothness of feeding.

[0034] The first screw 31 is located inside the storage hopper 3 and is used to convey the granular material in the storage hopper 3 to the forming chamber 4 below. The second screw 22 and the third screw 27 are located inside the forming chamber 4. The tops of the second screw 22 and the third screw 27 are both located above the forming chamber 4. The second screw 22 and the third screw 27 are both connected to the forming chamber 4 through bearings, so that the second screw 22 and the third screw 27 can rotate under the drive of the drive motor 2.

[0035] The second screw 22 and the third screw 27 generate thrust when they rotate. The material that has been heated and turned into liquid in the molding chamber 4 enters the throat 8 under the action of the thrust. The second heating component 7 then heats the liquid material in the throat 8 to make it melt. The molten material is then sprayed out through the nozzle 9.

[0036] To increase the thrust within the forming chamber 4 and improve discharge efficiency, multiple third screws 27 can be installed. In this embodiment, two third screws 27 are provided, and the two third screws 27 and the second screw 22 are installed in a circular array inside the forming chamber 4. The second screw 22 is directly driven by the drive rod 21, and the synchronous belt connected to the second screw 22 can drive the two third screws 27 simultaneously.

[0037] The heat dissipation component 5 includes several heat dissipation fins, which are horizontally and evenly arranged and fixed on the outer wall of the molding chamber 4 by welding or bolting.

[0038] Please see Figure 1-7 Place the granules needed for printing into the storage hopper 3, start the first heating component 6 and the second heating component 7, and then start the drive motor 2. The drive motor 2 drives the first screw 31, the second screw 22 and the third screw 27 to rotate simultaneously.

[0039] The first screw 31 conveys the granules downwards into the molding chamber 4. The granules located in the upper part of the molding chamber 4 remain in a solid state under the action of the heat dissipation component 5, while the granules located in the lower part of the molding chamber 4 are in a liquefied state under the action of the first heating component 6. The rotation of the second screw 22 and the third screw 27 generates a sufficiently large thrust on the liquefied granules, causing the liquefied material to enter the throat 8. The second heating component 7 reheats the material in the throat 8 to make it reach a molten state, and then it is sprayed out by the nozzle 9.

[0040] As described above, this utility model improves material conveying efficiency by installing a first screw 31 inside the storage hopper, allowing the granular material to enter the forming chamber 4 more smoothly; by installing a second screw 22 and multiple third screws 27 inside the forming chamber, the granular material inside the forming chamber 4 receives greater thrust, improving discharge efficiency; and the first screw 31, second screw 22, and third screw 27 only require one drive motor 2 for power, saving space inside the printing chamber; by installing a first heating component 6 and a second heating component 7, the granular material is heated in stages, improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation component 5 and effectively preventing blockage, thus improving printing efficiency and printing quality.

[0041] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0042] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0043] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication between two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0044] Although preferred embodiments of this application have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of this application.

[0045] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A feeding device for a screw extrusion type 3D printer, characterized in that, include: A printer frame (1) is provided with a storage hopper (3) at the bottom of the printer frame (1), and a first screw (31) is provided inside the storage hopper (3). The molding chamber (4) is connected to the interior of the storage hopper (3), and a second screw (22) and at least one third screw (27) are provided in the molding chamber (4). The nozzle assembly includes a throat (8) and a nozzle (9) mounted at the bottom of the molding chamber (4), the throat (8) communicating with the interior of the molding chamber (4); The temperature regulating mechanism includes a heat dissipation component (5), a first heating component (6), and a second heating component (7). The heat dissipation component (5) and the first heating component (6) are both installed on the outer wall of the molding chamber (4), and the heat dissipation component (5) is close to the storage hopper (3). The second heating component (7) is sleeved on the throat pipe (8).

2. The feeding device for a screw extrusion type 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, A conveying pipe (32) is connected between the storage hopper (3) and the forming chamber (4), and the lower end of the first screw (31) is inserted into the conveying pipe (32).

3. The feeding device for a screw extrusion type 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The printer frame (1) is equipped with a mounting bracket (23), and a drive motor (2) is mounted on the mounting bracket (23). The drive motor (2) is connected to the second screw (22) in a transmission manner, and the top end of the first screw (31) is rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket (23).

4. The feeding device for a screw extrusion type 3D printer according to claim 3, characterized in that, A drive rod (21) is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor (2) via a coupling, and the drive rod (21) is fixedly connected to the second screw (22).

5. The feeding device for a screw extrusion type 3D printer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drive rod (21) is fixed with a first drive wheel (24) and a second drive wheel (25), and the first screw (31) is fixed with a first inducer wheel (33). The first drive wheel (24) and the first inducer wheel (33) are connected by a synchronous belt drive.

6. The feeding device for a screw extrusion type 3D printer according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second inducer wheel (26) is fixed on the third screw (27) above the molding chamber (4), and the second drive wheel (25) and the second inducer wheel (26) are connected by a synchronous belt drive.

7. The feeding device for a screw extrusion type 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first screw (31), the second screw (22) and the third screw (27) are all provided with helical blades along the axial direction. The radial dimensions of the second screw (22) and the third screw (27) gradually increase from top to bottom.

8. The feeding device for a screw extrusion type 3D printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat dissipation assembly (5) includes several heat dissipation fins, which are fixed at equal intervals on the outer wall of the molding chamber (4).

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