Automatic material injection mechanism and printer
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202522491455.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-11-03
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-11-24
AI Technical Summary
The existing automatic dispensing mechanism of UV curing printers is complex, making it inconvenient to change printing materials and prone to contamination. It also has a slow response speed and cannot stop dispensing in time when there is an abnormal power outage.
The extrusion section is driven by a drive unit to move between the loading/unloading position and the injection position. By moving the extrusion section away from or near the discharge port, the material bottle can be quickly replaced and the printing material can be automatically injected. The meshing transmission between the gear and the extrusion section improves the power transmission efficiency and extrusion force.
It enables rapid filling and stopping of printing materials, improves replacement efficiency, avoids material contamination, and enhances the safety and response speed of the filling process.
Smart Images
Figure CN224928539U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of printer technology, and in particular to an automatic feeding mechanism and printer. Background Technology
[0002] With the development of 3D printing technology, photopolymer printers have achieved automatic feeding of printing materials through an automatic feeding mechanism, eliminating the need for operators to constantly monitor whether there is enough printing material in the material box.
[0003] In related technologies, automatic feeding methods for UV curing printers include peristaltic pump suction, air pump discharge, or gravity balance. These methods have several drawbacks: the automatic feeding mechanism is complex, requiring cleaning of the cartridge and piping when changing printing materials, making material replacement inconvenient and prone to contamination. Furthermore, there are issues such as delayed material feeding response and failure to promptly cut off material feeding in case of power failure. Utility Model Content
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a dynamic feeding mechanism and printer, which simplifies the structure, improves the efficiency of printing material replacement, avoids contamination during printing material replacement, and improves the response speed of printing material feeding and stopping.
[0005] To achieve this objective, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:
[0006] Automatic feeding mechanism, including:
[0007] The housing has an outlet inside which the nozzle of the feeding bottle extends;
[0008] The injection assembly includes a driving component and an extrusion section. The extrusion section is disposed at the discharge port and is connected to the driving component. The driving component drives the extrusion section away from or near the center of the discharge port to form a loading / unloading position and an injection position.
[0009] At the loading / unloading position, the extrusion section is located away from the center of the discharge port, allowing the discharge nozzle to enter and exit the discharge port; at the injection position, the extrusion section is located near the center of the discharge port, used to extrude the discharge nozzle extending into the discharge port.
[0010] As an optional solution, the injection assembly further includes two extruders, which are spaced apart within the housing along a first direction. Each of the two extruders has an extrusion section at its first end, and the two extrusion sections are positioned opposite each other at the discharge port. The driving member is connected to the second ends of the two extruders to drive them to move in opposite directions along a second direction, thereby forming the loading / unloading position and the injection position between the two extruders. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.
[0011] At the loading / unloading position, the two extrusion parts move away from each other to release the discharge nozzle, allowing the discharge nozzle to enter and exit the discharge port; at the injection position, the two extrusion parts move closer to each other to clamp the discharge nozzle extending into the discharge port.
[0012] As an optional solution, the injection assembly further includes a gear, which is rotatably mounted in the housing about its axial direction. The output end of the drive member is connected to the gear for transmission, and the gear meshes with the second ends of the two extruders respectively.
[0013] Alternatively, the extrusion member includes:
[0014] A first rod extends along the second direction, and a rack that meshes with the gear is provided on the side of the second end of the first rod facing the gear.
[0015] The second rod is disposed at the first end of the first rod, and the extrusion part is disposed on the side of the second rod facing the discharge port.
[0016] As an alternative, the second rod extends along the first direction, and one end of the second rod is perpendicularly disposed at the first end of the first rod.
[0017] As an optional solution, the injection assembly further includes a reset member, which is connected to the two extruders respectively, and the reset member is configured to drive the two extruders to slide toward the loading / unloading position.
[0018] As an optional solution, the reset component includes:
[0019] A first spring, one end of which abuts against the inner wall of the housing, and the other end of which abuts against the first end of one of the pressing members;
[0020] A second spring, one end of which abuts against the inner wall of the housing, and the other end of which abuts against the second end of another of the pressing members, so that the two pressing members slide in opposite directions respectively.
[0021] As an optional solution, the housing is provided with a first receiving groove and a second receiving groove. The first receiving groove is disposed opposite to the first end of one of the extrusion members, and the first spring is installed in the first receiving groove. The second receiving groove is disposed opposite to the second end of another extrusion member, and the second spring is installed in the second receiving groove.
[0022] As an optional solution, the housing is provided with a limiting part that cooperates with the limiting part of the material bottle.
[0023] As an optional solution, the housing is provided with a detection element, which is configured to detect whether the automatic dispensing mechanism is equipped with the material bottle and / or detect the printing material information inside the material bottle.
[0024] As an optional solution, the housing includes:
[0025] The lower shell has a mounting groove at its top and a discharge port on its inner bottom wall. The two extrusion parts are spaced apart in the mounting groove along the first direction.
[0026] The top cover is located on the top of the lower shell and has a clearance hole for the material bottle to pass through. The clearance hole is directly opposite and communicates with the discharge port.
[0027] As an optional solution, each of the extrusion parts has a first guide portion protruding from its bottom end, and the inner bottom wall of the mounting groove is provided with a first guide groove along the second direction, with the first guide portion slidably disposed in the corresponding first guide groove; and / or, each of the extrusion parts has a second guide portion protruding from its top end, and the inner top wall of the top cover is provided with a second guide groove along the second direction, with the second guide portion slidably disposed in the corresponding second guide groove.
[0028] The printer includes a printer body, a material box, and the aforementioned automatic feeding mechanism. Both the material box and the automatic feeding mechanism are mounted on the printer body, and the material box is located below the discharge port.
[0029] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:
[0030] The automatic feeding mechanism proposed in this utility model involves a drive unit that moves the extrusion section to the loading / unloading position, moving it away from the center of the discharge port. This allows the nozzle of the printing bottle to enter and exit the discharge port, enabling bottle replacement and rapid feeding stop. The drive unit also moves the extrusion section to the feeding position, bringing it closer to the center of the discharge port and squeezing the nozzle of the printing bottle inserted into the port to quickly expel the printing material. This achieves rapid feeding and stopping of the automatic feeding mechanism, improving the response speed of printing material feeding and stopping. Even in the event of an abnormal power outage, feeding can be stopped immediately, enhancing the safety of the automatic feeding process. Furthermore, the automatic feeding mechanism has a simple structure. By driving the extrusion section to move to the loading / unloading position to release the nozzle of the printing bottle, it facilitates quick replacement of the printing material bottle. Simply changing the bottle containing the different printing materials is sufficient to replace the printing material, improving the efficiency of printing material replacement and preventing printing material contamination during the replacement process.
[0031] The printer proposed in this utility model includes the above-mentioned automatic feeding mechanism. The driving component drives the extrusion part to slide between the loading / unloading position and the feeding position, realizing automatic feeding and stopping of printing material. The structure is simple, improves the efficiency of printing material replacement, avoids contamination during printing material replacement, and improves the response speed of printing material feeding and stopping. Attached Figure Description
[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the automatic feeding mechanism provided in this embodiment of the utility model;
[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the automatic feeding mechanism provided in this embodiment of the present invention after removing the top cover;
[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the extrusion part provided in an embodiment of the present utility model;
[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the lower shell structure provided in an embodiment of the present utility model;
[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the top cover provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.
[0037] The component names and labels in the diagram are as follows:
[0038] 1. Housing; 11. Lower housing; 111. Mounting groove; 1110. Discharge port; 112. First receiving groove; 113. Second receiving groove; 114. First guide groove; 12. Top cover; 121. Clearance hole; 122. Second guide groove; 123. Limiting part; 2. Gear; 3. Extrusion part; 31. First rod; 310. Rack; 32. Second rod; 33. Extrusion part; 34. First guide part; 35. Second guide part; 36. Guide post; 4. First spring; 5. Second spring. Detailed Implementation
[0039] To make the technical problem solved by this utility model, the technical solution adopted, and the technical effect achieved clearer, the technical solution of this utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for explaining this utility model and not for limiting it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts related to this utility model are shown in the accompanying drawings, not all of them.
[0040] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" 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 or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.
[0041] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0042] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," and "left," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for distinction in description and have no special meaning.
[0043] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
[0044] This embodiment proposes a printer, which includes a printer body, a material hopper, and an automatic material feeding mechanism. Both the material hopper and the automatic material feeding mechanism are mounted on the printer body, with the material hopper located below the material outlet of the printer body. This printer can be a photopolymerization printer or other type of 3D printer. The printer uses the automatic material feeding mechanism to automatically add printing material, eliminating the need for operators to constantly monitor the material level in the hopper.
[0045] Existing automatic feeding methods for UV curing printers include peristaltic pump suction, air pump discharge, and gravity balance. These methods have several drawbacks: the automatic feeding mechanism is complex, requiring cleaning of the cartridge and piping when changing printing media, making media replacement inconvenient and prone to contamination. Furthermore, there are issues such as delayed media feeding response and failure to promptly cut off media feeding in case of power failure.
[0046] To solve the above problems, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, this embodiment also proposes an automatic feeding mechanism, which includes a housing 1 and a feeding assembly. The housing 1 has a discharge port 1110 into which the nozzle of the feeding bottle extends. The feeding assembly includes a drive member and a pressing part 33. The pressing part 33 is located at the discharge port 1110 and is connected to the drive member. The drive member drives the pressing part 33 away from or near the center of the discharge port 1110 to form a loading / unloading position and a feeding position. In the loading / unloading position, the pressing part 33 is away from the center of the discharge port 1110 to allow the nozzle to enter and exit the discharge port 1110; in the feeding position, the pressing part 33 is near the center of the discharge port 1110 to press the nozzle extending into the discharge port 1110. The driving component moves the extrusion section 33 to the loading / unloading position, moving it away from the center of the discharge port 1110. This allows the nozzle of the printing bottle to enter and exit the discharge port 1110, enabling bottle replacement and rapid material stoppage. The driving component also moves the extrusion section 33 to the filling position, bringing it closer to the center of the discharge port 1110 and squeezing the nozzle of the printing bottle extending into the port. This rapidly extrudes the printing material from the bottle, achieving rapid filling and stopping of the automatic filling mechanism. This improves the response speed of printing material filling and stopping, and ensures immediate stopping of filling even in the event of a power outage, enhancing the safety of the automatic filling process. Furthermore, the automatic filling mechanism has a simple structure. By driving the extrusion section 33 to move to the loading / unloading position, the nozzle of the printing bottle is released, facilitating rapid replacement of the printing material bottle. Only the bottle containing the different printing materials needs to be replaced, improving the efficiency of printing material replacement and preventing printing material contamination during the replacement process.
[0047] Specifically, the filling assembly also includes two extruders 3, which are spaced apart within the housing 1 along a first direction (cd direction in the figure). Each extruder 3 has an extrusion section 33 at its first end, and the two extrusion sections 33 are positioned opposite each other at the discharge port 1110. A drive member is connected to the second ends of the two extruders 3 to drive them to slide relative to the housing 1 along a second direction (ab direction in the figure) in opposite directions, thus giving the two extruders 3 a loading / unloading position and a filling position. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. In the loading / unloading position, the two extrusion sections 33 move away from each other and release the nozzle of the bottle within the discharge port 1110. In the filling position, the two extrusion sections 33 move closer to each other and clamp the nozzle of the bottle within the discharge port 1110. By driving the two extruders 3 to slide in opposite directions to the loading and unloading positions, the two extrusion parts 33 move away from each other and release the nozzle of the material bottle in the discharge port 1110, so that the printing material in the material bottle stops being injected; by driving the two extruders 3 to slide in opposite directions to the injection position, the two extrusion parts 33 move closer to each other and clamp the nozzle of the material bottle in the discharge port 1110, so as to quickly extrude the printing material in the material bottle, realizing rapid injection and rapid stopping, improving the response speed of the injection and stopping of the printing material, and even in the event of abnormal power failure, the injection can be stopped immediately, improving the safety of the automatic injection process.
[0048] like Figure 2 As shown, the injection assembly also includes a gear 2, which is rotatably mounted within the housing 1 around its axial direction. The output end of the drive component is connected to the gear 2, and the gear 2 meshes with the second ends of the two extruders 3 respectively. By meshing the gear 2 with the two extruders 3, the two extruders 3 are driven to move linearly along the second direction, improving the power transmission efficiency of the drive component and the movement accuracy of the extruders 3 along the second direction, thus ensuring the precise movement of the two extrusion sections 33. Simultaneously, the meshing transmission method between the gear 2 and the two extruders 3 helps to increase the extrusion force of the two extrusion sections 33. In other embodiments, the linear movement of the two extruders 3 along the second direction can also be achieved through a multi-link structure or other transmission structure. The aforementioned drive component is a motor to improve power transmission efficiency and control accuracy. Of course, the drive component can also be a hydraulic motor or a pneumatic motor, as long as it can drive the gear 2 to rotate around its axial direction.
[0049] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the extrusion member 3 includes a first rod 31 and a second rod 32. The first rod 31 extends along a second direction, and a rack 310 that meshes with the gear 2 is provided on the second end of the first rod 31 facing the gear 2. The second rod 32 is located at the first end of the first rod 31, and an extrusion section 33 is provided on the side of the second rod 32 facing the discharge port 1110. The racks 310 on the first rods 31 of both extrusion members 3 are provided on the side facing the gear 2, so that meshing transmission is achieved between the racks 310 and the gear 2. The gear 2 is located between the second ends of the two extrusion members 3, so that it simultaneously meshes with the racks 310 on both first rods 31. The discharge port 1110 is located between the first ends of the two extrusion members 3. Figure 2 As shown, when the extruder 3 is in the loading / unloading position, the two second rods 32 are positioned opposite each other on the outside of the discharge port 1110, so that the discharge nozzle of the bottle can extend into or out of the discharge port 1110. During the automatic filling process, the drive unit drives the gear 2 along... Figure 2 Rotate in the direction indicated by the middle arrow so that the extrusion member 3 on the c side near the housing 1 moves from a to b along the second direction, and the extrusion member 3 on the d side near the housing 1 moves from b to a along the second direction, so that both second rods 32 move toward the center of the discharge port 1110, so that the two extrusion parts 33 approach each other and extrude the discharge nozzle of the material bottle, thereby realizing automatic feeding of printing material by extrusion.
[0050] It should be noted that the second rod 32 extends along the first direction, and one end of the second rod 32 is perpendicularly disposed at the first end of the first rod 31. This arrangement makes the first rod 31 and the second rod 32 perpendicular, which not only simplifies the structure of the extruder 3 and facilitates processing, but also generates a larger extrusion force between the two extrusion parts 33, improving the extrusion effect on the nozzle of the material bottle. Specifically, in this embodiment, the structures of the two extruders 3 are roughly the same. One extruder 3 is a regular L-shape, and the first end of the first rod 31 of the other extruder 3 (near the d side of the housing 1) extends along the second direction and is provided with an extension (such as...). Figure 3 (As shown).
[0051] In this embodiment, the injection assembly also includes a reset member, which is connected to the two extruders 3 respectively. The reset member is configured to drive the two extruders 3 to slide towards the loading / unloading position. By driving the two extruders 3 from the injection position back to the loading / unloading position through the reset member, there is no need to use the drive member to reverse drive the gear 2 to rotate, which reduces the control difficulty and energy consumption of the drive member. At the same time, by driving the two extruders 3 from the loading / unloading position back to the injection position through the drive member, the position switching of the two extruders 3 between the loading / unloading position and the injection position is realized through the coordinated work of the drive member and the reset member. It should be noted that when the reset member drives the two extruders 3 to slide towards the loading / unloading position, the drive member is disconnected from the gear 2, that is, the drive member does not restrict the free rotation of the gear 2.
[0052] like Figure 2 As shown, the reset component includes a first spring 4 and a second spring 5. One end of the first spring 4 abuts against the inner wall of the housing 1, and the other end abuts against the first end of a pressing member 3. One end of the second spring 5 abuts against the inner wall of the housing 1, and the other end abuts against the second end of another pressing member 3, so that the two pressing members 3 slide in opposite directions. Under the action of the first spring 4, the pressing member 3 on side c always tends to move from b to a along the second direction; under the action of the second spring 5, the pressing member 3 on side d always tends to move from a to b along the second direction, so that under the action of the elastic restoring force of the springs themselves, the two pressing members 3 always tend to move toward the loading and unloading position. In other embodiments, the reset component can also be two leaf springs or two air springs, etc., or, of course, an active reset mechanism such as a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder, which will not be listed here.
[0053] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the housing 1 has a first receiving groove 112 and a second receiving groove 113. The first receiving groove 112 is directly opposite to the first end of an extrusion member 3, and a first spring 4 is installed in the first receiving groove 112. The second receiving groove 113 is directly opposite to the second end of another extrusion member 3, and a second spring 5 is installed in the second receiving groove 113. By installing the two springs in their respective receiving grooves, the springs are positioned to limit their movement, improving the stability of the springs during compression or extension and preventing abnormal bending or displacement of the springs.
[0054] In this embodiment, two partitions are installed on the inner wall of the housing 1. The two partitions and the inner wall of the housing 1 respectively form a first receiving groove 112 and a second receiving groove 113. The first receiving groove 112 has an open end facing the a direction, and the second receiving groove 113 has an open end facing the b direction. When the first spring 4 is installed in the first receiving groove 112, one end of the first spring 4 extends out of the open end facing the a direction and abuts against the second end of a pressing member 3 on the c side. When the second spring 5 is installed in the second receiving groove 113, one end of the second spring 5 extends out of the open end facing the b direction and abuts against the first end (extension) of another pressing member 3 on the d side. It should be noted that the second end of one pressing member 3 and the first end (extension) of the other pressing member 3 are both provided with guide posts 36, so that the two springs are respectively sleeved and installed on the corresponding guide posts 36, which further improves the stability and reliability of the installation of the first spring 4 and the second spring 5.
[0055] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the housing 1 includes a lower shell 11 and a top cover 12. Along the height direction (ef direction in the figure), the top of the lower shell 11 is provided with a mounting groove 111, and the inner bottom wall of the mounting groove 111 is provided with a discharge port 1110. Two extrusion members 3 are spaced apart within the mounting groove 111 along a first direction. The top cover 12 is placed on the top of the lower shell 11, and the top cover 12 is provided with a clearance hole 121 through which the feeding bottle passes. The clearance hole 121 is directly opposite and communicates with the discharge port 1110. By placing the top of the lower shell 11 with the top cover 12, external dust or printing material is prevented from falling into the lower shell 11, thus protecting the injection assembly. After the feeding bottle passes through the clearance hole 121, the dispensing nozzle of the feeding bottle extends into the discharge port 1110 of the lower shell 11, preventing the top cover 12 from interfering with the automatic loading and unloading of the feeding bottle.
[0056] It should be noted that the housing 11 has storage spaces arranged vertically. The upper storage space is used to accommodate the extrusion component 3, the gear 2, and the reset component, while the lower storage space is used to accommodate the drive component, so as to achieve a compact installation of the automatic feeding mechanism. Specifically, the lower housing 11 has a storage space inside to accommodate the drive component, and the top of the lower housing 11 and the top cover 12 form an upper storage space that accommodates the extrusion component 3, the gear 2, and the reset component.
[0057] like Figure 1 As shown, the housing 1 is provided with a limiting part 123 that cooperates with the limiting of the bottle. Specifically, the limiting part 123 is a baffle, and multiple baffles are protruding from the top of the top cover 12, which are arranged circumferentially around the clearance hole 121. When the bottle is installed on the top cover 12 of the housing 1, the multiple baffles respectively fit against the inner sidewall of the bottle base to achieve circumferential limiting of the bottle, prevent the bottle from being misaligned or moved, and improve the installation accuracy and stability of the bottle.
[0058] It should be noted that the housing 1 is equipped with a detection element, which is configured to detect whether the automatic dispensing mechanism has a printing bottle installed and to detect the printing material information inside the bottle. Specifically, the detection element can be an NFC reading module or a QR code recognition module. The NFC reading module reads the NFC chip installed on the bottle base to obtain the printing material information inside the bottle; or the QR code recognition module scans the QR code on the surface of the bottle to obtain the printing material information inside the bottle. When the detection element detects the printing material information inside the bottle, it indicates that the bottle has been installed in the housing 1, thus simultaneously detecting whether the bottle is installed in the housing 1. Of course, the detection element can also be a photoelectric sensor or a proximity switch, etc., to accurately detect whether the bottle is installed in the housing 1. The detection element can also integrate an NFC reading module or a QR code recognition module. In other embodiments, the detection element can simply detect whether the automatic dispensing mechanism has a printing bottle installed. Alternatively, the detection element may only be used to detect the printing material information inside the bottle.
[0059] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, each extruded part 3 has a first guide portion 34 protruding from its bottom end, and the inner bottom wall of the mounting groove 111 is provided with a first guide groove 114 along the second direction. The first guide portion 34 is slidably disposed in the corresponding first guide groove 114. Through the sliding cooperation between the first guide portion 34 and the first guide groove 114, the extruded part 3 is limited and guided during its movement along the second direction, thereby improving the movement accuracy of the extruded part 3 and ensuring that the extruded part 3 moves accurately to the loading / unloading position and the injection position.
[0060] Specifically, the first guide portion 34 is a raised strip structure, and the bottom end of the first rod 31 of each extrusion member 3 is integrally provided with a raised strip structure. The inner bottom wall of the mounting groove 111 is correspondingly provided with two rib plate groups, each rib plate group including two parallel rib plates, each rib plate extending along the second direction to form two first guide grooves 114. The raised strip structure at the bottom end of the first rod 31 is slidably disposed between two adjacent rib plates to realize the limiting sliding of the extrusion member 3.
[0061] like Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, each extruded part 3 has a second guide portion 35 protruding from its top end, and the inner top wall of the top cover 12 is provided with a second guide groove 122 along the second direction. The second guide portion 35 is slidably disposed in the corresponding second guide groove 122. Through the sliding cooperation between the second guide portion 35 and the second guide groove 122, the extruded part 3 is limited and guided during its movement along the second direction, thereby improving the movement accuracy of the extruded part 3 and ensuring that the extruded part 3 moves accurately to the loading / unloading position and the injection position.
[0062] Specifically, the second guide section 35 is also a raised strip structure. The top end of the first rod 31 of each extruder 3 is integrally provided with a raised strip structure. The inner top wall of the top cover 12 is provided with two rib groups. Each rib group includes two parallel ribs. Each rib extends along the second direction to form two second guide grooves 122. The raised strip structure at the top end of the first rod 31 is slidably disposed between two adjacent ribs to realize the limiting sliding of the extruder 3.
[0063] In this embodiment, the extrusion part 3 is integrally injection molded, which improves the processing efficiency of the extrusion part 3 and reduces the processing difficulty. Furthermore, the extrusion part 3 has a first guide portion 34 at its bottom end and a second guide portion 35 at its top end. The inner bottom wall of the mounting groove 111 of the lower shell 11 is provided with two corresponding first guide grooves 114, and the inner top wall of the top cover 12 is provided with two corresponding second guide grooves 122. In other embodiments, the extrusion part 3 has a first guide portion 34 only at its bottom end, and the inner bottom wall of the mounting groove 111 of the lower shell 11 is provided with two corresponding first guide grooves 114; or, the extrusion part 3 has a second guide portion 35 only at its top end, and the inner top wall of the top cover 12 is provided with two corresponding second guide grooves 122.
[0064] For ease of understanding, the printer's automatic ink filling process is as follows:
[0065] When the printing bottle is installed on the top of the housing 1, the base of the printing bottle engages with the limiting part 123 on the top of the housing 1 to achieve the limiting installation of the printing bottle. The printing bottle is equipped with an NFC chip that stores printing material information. The detection component on the top of the housing 1 reads the information from the NFC chip to detect whether a printing bottle is installed on the housing 1 and to obtain the printing material information inside the printing bottle. When automatic dispensing into the printing cartridge is required, the drive component drives the gear 2 along... Figure 2 The mechanism rotates in the direction indicated by the middle arrow, causing the extruder 3 on side c to move from a to b along the second direction, and the extruder 3 on side d to move from b to a along the second direction. Both second rods 32 move towards the center of the discharge port 1110 to the filling position, so that the two extrusion parts 33 approach each other and squeeze the discharge nozzle of the material bottle, thereby achieving automatic material filling through extrusion. At the filling position, the two extrusion parts 3 compress the corresponding first spring 4 and second spring 5 respectively. After automatic filling is completed, the drive unit is disconnected from the gear 2. Under the action of the first spring 4, the extruder 3 on side c moves from b to a along the second direction; under the action of the second spring 5, the extruder 3 on side d moves from a to b along the second direction, thereby returning the two extrusion parts 3 to the loading and unloading position. At this time, the discharge nozzle of the material bottle is depressurized to avoid leakage of printing material. Finally, automatic filling or material bottle replacement can be performed according to printing needs.
[0066] The above embodiments merely illustrate the basic principles and characteristics of this utility model. This utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes and modifications can be made to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed utility model. The scope of protection of this utility model is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. An automatic feeding mechanism, characterized in that, include: The housing (1) has an outlet (1110) into which the outlet of the feeding bottle extends. The injection assembly includes a drive member and an extrusion part (33). The extrusion part (33) is disposed at the discharge port (1110). The extrusion part (33) is connected to the drive member in a transmission manner. The drive member drives the extrusion part (33) away from or close to the center of the discharge port (1110) to form a loading / unloading position and an injection position. At the loading and unloading position, the extrusion part (33) is located away from the center of the discharge port (1110) for the discharge nozzle to enter and exit the discharge port (1110); at the injection position, the extrusion part (33) is located near the center of the discharge port (1110) for extruding the discharge nozzle that extends into the discharge port (1110).
2. The automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The injection assembly further includes two extruders (3), which are spaced apart in the housing (1) along a first direction. Each of the two extruders (3) has an extrusion section (33) at its first end, and the two extrusion sections (33) are positioned opposite each other at the discharge port (1110). The driving member is connected to the second end of the two extruders (3) to drive the two extruders (3) to move in opposite directions along a second direction, thereby forming the loading / unloading position and the injection position between the two extruders (3). The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. At the loading and unloading position, the two extrusion parts (33) move away from each other to release the discharge nozzle so that the discharge nozzle enters and exits the discharge port (1110); at the injection position, the two extrusion parts (33) move closer to each other to clamp the discharge nozzle extending into the discharge port (1110).
3. The automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The injection assembly also includes a gear (2), which is rotatably mounted in the housing (1) about its axial direction. The output end of the drive component is connected to the gear (2) for transmission. The gear (2) meshes with the second ends of the two extrusion components (3) for transmission.
4. The automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The extrusion member (3) includes: The first rod (31) extends along the second direction, and the second end of the first rod (31) is provided with a rack (310) that meshes with the gear (2) on the side facing the gear (2). The second rod (32) is located at the first end of the first rod (31), and the extrusion part (33) is provided on the side of the second rod (32) facing the discharge port (1110).
5. The automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second rod (32) extends along the first direction, and one end of the second rod (32) is perpendicularly disposed at the first end of the first rod (31).
6. The automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The injection assembly also includes a reset member, which is connected to the two extruders (3) respectively, and the reset member is configured to drive the two extruders (3) to slide toward the loading and unloading position.
7. The automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The reset component includes: A first spring (4) is pressed against the inner wall of the housing (1) at one end and against the first end of a pressing member (3) at the other end. The second spring (5) has one end pressed against the inner wall of the housing (1) and the other end pressed against the second end of another extruder (3) so that the two extruders (3) slide in opposite directions respectively.
8. The automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, The housing (1) is provided with a first receiving groove (112) and a second receiving groove (113). The first receiving groove (112) is directly opposite to the first end of one of the extrusion members (3), and the first spring (4) is installed in the first receiving groove (112). The second receiving groove (113) is directly opposite to the second end of another extrusion member (3), and the second spring (5) is installed in the second receiving groove (113).
9. The automatic feeding mechanism according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The housing (1) is provided with a limiting part (123) that cooperates with the limiting part of the bottle.
10. The automatic feeding mechanism according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The housing (1) is provided with a detection element, which is configured to detect whether the automatic feeding mechanism is equipped with the material bottle and / or detect the printing material information in the material bottle.
11. The automatic feeding mechanism according to any one of claims 2-8, characterized in that, The housing (1) includes: The lower shell (11) has a mounting groove (111) at its top end and a discharge port (1110) on the inner bottom wall of the mounting groove (111). Two extrusion pieces (3) are spaced apart in the mounting groove (111) along the first direction. The top cover (12) is placed on the top of the lower shell (11), and the top cover (12) is provided with a clearance hole (121) for the material bottle to pass through. The clearance hole (121) is directly connected to the discharge port (1110).
12. The automatic feeding mechanism according to claim 11, characterized in that, Each of the extrusion parts (3) has a first guide part (34) protruding from its bottom end. The inner bottom wall of the mounting groove (111) is provided with a first guide groove (114) along the second direction. The first guide part (34) is slidably disposed in the corresponding first guide groove (114). And / or, each of the extrusion parts (3) has a second guide part (35) protruding from its top end. The inner top wall of the top cover (12) is provided with a second guide groove (122) along the second direction. The second guide part (35) is slidably disposed in the corresponding second guide groove (122).
13. A printer, characterized in that, The printer includes a printer body, a material box, and an automatic feeding mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-12, wherein the material box and the automatic feeding mechanism are both installed on the printer body, and the material box is located below the discharge port (1110).