3D printing system with bypass

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for three-dimensional printing of material comprising a material reservoir connected to a print head via a main conduit, said system further comprising a pump for bringing said material from the reservoir to the print head, the print head comprising closing / opening means for allowing printing of material, characterized in that said printing system further comprises bypass means arranged at the main conduit, said bypass means comprising an additional conduit extending from the main conduit and a first valve module arranged between the main conduit and the additional conduit Fig 1

Description

Title of the invention: 3D printing system with bypass

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of 3D printing and in particular the 3D printing of material for construction. Prior art

[0002] 3D printing of construction material such as concrete or mortar is known to design construction elements or even buildings. This 3D printing consists of having a tank of material. A pump is used to bring said material from the tank to a print head. This print head includes an opening-closing means used to allow or block printing. This opening-closing means is used when creating an object / building. Indeed, it is sometimes necessary to interrupt printing during construction in order to form openings or for the creation of complex parts with discontinuities.

[0003] The disadvantage of existing systems is that the process of stopping and restarting printing results in poor print quality. This poor quality is the consequence of the fact that, upon restart, the pressure in the printing system is not instantly returned to its operating value. As a result, the material stream deposited during this period is not of high quality, its dimensions are not in accordance with the wishes, i.e. the material stream is thinner. This results in a construction which may have more fragile areas. It is also possible that the material stream is not of high quality due to excess material.

[0004] There are three-dimensional printing systems that have start / stop means comprising a screw in the print head. By operating or stopping this screw, it is possible to stop / resume the deposition more easily. In fact, this screw will either transport the material or shear it to allow it to flow.

[0005] The disadvantage of these solutions is that they are complex because they include a large number of pumps and screws. However, the increased complexity of the print head increases the sensitivity of said print head to the risk of blockage by the material. Furthermore, this increases the weight of the print head, and therefore the load on the robot. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present invention seeks to solve the problems of the prior art by providing a printing system which allows a constant output flow to be maintained during pauses in said printing.

[0007] For this purpose, the invention relates to a system for three-dimensional printing of material comprising a material reservoir connected to a print head via a main conduit, said system further comprising a pump for bringing said material from the reservoir to the print head, the print head comprising closing / opening means for allowing the printing of material, characterized in that said printing system further comprises bypass means arranged at the main conduit, said bypass means comprising an additional conduit extending from the main conduit and a first valve module arranged between the main conduit and the additional conduit.

[0008] According to one example, a second valve module is arranged between the main conduit and the print head.

[0009] According to one example, the printing system further comprises a third valve module arranged at the main conduit in the immediate vicinity of the first valve module.

[0010] According to one example, the first valve module and the third valve module are integrated into a single part.

[0011] According to one example, the first valve module comprises a straight tube fixed by one end to the main conduit and by a second end to the additional conduit, this tube comprising a valve.

[0012] According to an example, the first valve module comprises a tubular part with three branches, two ends of which are connected to the main conduit, one end connected to the additional conduit, the valve module being arranged in the portion connected to the additional conduit.

[0013] According to one example, the additional conduit extends between the main conduit and a container.

[0014] According to one example, the container is the tank containing the mixture to be printed.

[0015] According to one example, the printing system further comprises a computing unit sending control signals to the valve module(s).

[0016] The invention further relates to a method for managing a printing system according to the invention, in which said method comprises a printing phase in which the closing / opening means are open to allow the printing of material and the first valve module is closed and a pause phase in which the closing / opening means are closed and the first valve module is open.

[0017] According to one example, a second valve module is arranged between the main conduit and the print head, said second valve module being open during the printing phase and closed during the pause phase.

[0018] According to one example, a third valve module arranged at the main duct in the immediate vicinity of the first valve module, said third valve module being open during the printing phase and closed during the pause phase.

[0019] According to one example, the transition from a printing phase to a pause phase is done by acting simultaneously on all of the valve modules and the transition from a pause phase to a printing phase is done by acting on the first valve module and the third valve module simultaneously, the action on the second valve module being delayed by a defined period of time. Description of the drawings

[0020] Other features and advantages will become clear from the description given below, for information purposes only and in no way limiting, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0021] - [Fig.l] represents a view of a printing system according to the invention;

[0022] - [Fig.2] represents a diagram of the printing system according to the invention;

[0023] - [Fig.3] represents a diagram of the derivation of the printing system according to the invention;

[0024] - [Fig.4] and 5 represent configurations of the first valve module of the printing system according to the invention;

[0025] - [Fig.6] to 8 represent variants of the printing system according to the invention;

[0026] - [Fig.9] represents a variant of the first valve module and the third module valve of the printing system according to the invention; Detailed description

[0027] In [Fig.l], a system 1 for printing material in three dimensions is shown. The printing system 1 is used to produce a construction object such as a brick or a concrete block or to directly produce a building. The printing system 1 comprises a print head 10 through which the material is deposited. The print head 10 is mounted on a structure 2 allowing said print head to move along at least three axes: length, width and height to carry out said printing. This structure may be in the form of an articulated arm or gantries.

[0028] The print head 10, visible in [Fig.2], is connected to a reservoir 20 via a conduit called the main conduit 40. The reservoir 20 is a tank in which the mixture used for printing is stored. The reservoir 20 is also called a mixer when it is equipped with means for mixing the mixture such as an endless screw or rotating blades.

[0029] The printing system 1 further comprises a pump 50 for bringing the mixture from the reservoir 20 to the print head 10.

[0030] The print head 10 comprises opening-closing or sealing means 100 such as for example a flap or a valve allowing the mixture to exit the print head 10 and be deposited.

[0031] Thus, printing is done by pumping the mixture from the reservoir to the print head 10 while moving said head along a programmed path to produce the object.

[0032] According to the invention visible in [Fig. 3], the printing system 10 comprises bypass means 70. These bypass means 70 comprise a first valve module 700 and an additional conduit 72. This first valve module 700 is arranged between the main conduit 40 and the additional conduit 72, said first valve module 700 allowing the transfer of the mixture from the main conduit 40 to the additional conduit 702. The additional conduit is thus an outlet to a container.

[0033] In a first configuration visible in [Fig.4], the first valve module 700 is in the form of a T-connector. This T-connector, a tubular part, has a branch coaxial with the main conduit 40 and a perpendicular branch. This perpendicular branch comprises a valve.

[0034] In a second configuration visible in [Fig.5], the first valve module 700 is in the form of a straight connector which includes the valve. This straight connector, in the form of a tube, is inserted into an opening of the main conduit.

[0035] In the printing system, a second valve module 704 is arranged.

[0036] In a first embodiment, the opening-closing means 100 are used as a valve module at the outlet also called a second valve module as seen in [Fig.2].

[0037] The operation of the system consists, when the system is stopped, in particular when printing is paused to make an opening in the object to be manufactured, in acting on the valve modules according to a defined sequence.

[0038] In operation, the second valve module 704 is open so that the reservoir material is printed. The first valve module 700 is closed.

[0039] This sequence consists of acting in a synchronized manner on the first valve module 700 and the second valve module 704 to open the first valve module 700 and close the second valve module 704. This synchronous action makes it possible to create a recirculation of the mixture in the main conduit 40 and the additional conduit 72 towards the container. Unlike a definitive shutdown of the system, pausing the printing system is accompanied by continuous operation of the pump 50 bringing the mixture from the reservoir towards the print head 10. The pressure is thus kept constant.

[0040] When restarting printing, the first valve module 700 is closed. This closure allows the pressure to be restored in the entire main conduit. Once this pressure has been restored, the second valve module 704 of the opening-closing means is opened so that printing can resume with a quality optimal printing.

[0041] The time lapse between the opening of the first valve module 700 and the opening of the second valve module 704 is of the order of 0.5 to 3 s. This time lapse is variable depending on the desired pressure value in said main conduit.

[0042] In a second embodiment visible in [Fig.6], the second valve module 704 is dissociated from the opening-closing means 100. It is understood by this that the opening-closing means 100 comprise a flap or a valve and that the second valve module is arranged at the main conduit. This second valve module 704 is arranged slightly upstream of the print head, preferably, it forms the interface between the main conduit and the print head. This second valve module consists of a straight connector.

[0043] In a first variant visible in Figures 7 and 8, the printing system 1 further comprises a third valve module 706. This third valve module 706 is arranged at the main conduit 40. This third valve module 706 consists of a straight connector arranged in the main conduit 40. When the printing system is paused, this third valve module 706 is closed simultaneously with the opening of the first valve module 700. This closure makes it possible to isolate the main conduit 40 between the third valve module 706 and the second valve module 704. When printing is restarted, the third valve module is opened at the same time as the first valve module is closed.

[0044] In an alternative to this first variant as seen in [Fig.9], the third valve module and the second valve module are replaced by a single valve module. This single valve module consists of a T-connector or three-way valve module. In this configuration, channel 1 is connected to the mixer, channel 2 to the print head and channel 3 to the additional conduit. This single valve module has an operation in which an action on said valve module makes it possible to direct the flow from channel 1 to channel 2 or from channel 1 to channel 3.

[0045] In the different configurations, the valve modules 700, 704, 706 are controlled by a controller and by actuators which make it possible to act on the valve modules electrically.

[0046] In a variant, the additional conduit 702 is arranged to make the connection between the main conduit and the reservoir in which the mixture is stored as visible in [Fig.2]. It is then understood that the container is the mixer. This variant allows for recirculation of the mixture during a printing pause.

[0047] In an alternative, the additional conduit is arranged to make the connection between the main conduit and an additional tank 80 as visible in [Fig.7]. This additional tank, different from the tank in which the mixture is located, is used to recover the unused or soiled mixture.

[0048] The printing system according to the invention is controlled by a computing unit. This computing unit incorporates the plans of the object to be manufactured or is connected to a computer-type device in which the plans are stored. This computing unit is arranged to send signals to the different elements of said printing system to enable said printing. The computing unit thus sends signals to the mixer, the pump, the print head and the structure enabling said print head to move. The computing unit further sends signals to the valve module(s) to open or close them.

[0049] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example but is susceptible to various variants and modifications which will appear to those skilled in the art.

Claims

Claims

1. A three-dimensional material printing system (1) comprising a material reservoir (20) connected to a print head (10) via a main conduit (40), said system further comprising a pump (50) for supplying said material from the reservoir to the print head, the print head comprising closing / opening means (100) for enabling the printing of material, characterized in that said printing system further comprises bypass means (70) arranged at the main conduit, said bypass means comprising an additional conduit (702) extending from the main conduit and a first valve module (700) arranged between the main conduit and the additional conduit.

2. Printing system according to the preceding claim, in which a second valve module (704) is arranged between the main conduit and the print head.

3. Printing system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein it further comprises a third valve module (706) arranged at the main conduit in the immediate vicinity of the first valve module.

4. Printing system according to the preceding claim in which the first valve module and the third valve module are integrated in a single part.

5. Printing system according to one of the preceding claims, in which the first valve module comprises a straight tube fixed by one end to the main conduit and by a second end to the additional conduit, this tube comprising a valve.

6. Printing system according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first valve module comprises a tubular part with three branches, two ends are connected to the main conduit, one end connected to the additional conduit, said first valve module further comprising a valve arranged in the branch connected to the additional conduit.

7. A printing system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the additional conduit extends between the first valve module and a container.

8. Printing system according to the preceding claim, in which the container is the reservoir containing the mixture to be printed.

9. Printing system according to one of the preceding claims in which it further comprises a computing unit sending control signals to the valve module(s).

10. A method of managing a printing system according to claim 1, wherein said method comprises a printing phase in which the closing / opening means are open to allow printing of material and the first valve module is closed and a pause phase in which the closing / opening means are closed and the first valve module is open.

11. Method for managing a printing system according to the preceding claim, in which a second valve module is arranged between the main conduit and the print head, said second valve module being open during the printing phase and closed during the pause phase.

12. Method for managing a printing system according to one of claims 10 or 11, in which a third valve module arranged at the main conduit in the immediate vicinity of the first valve module, said third valve module being open during the printing phase and closed during the pause phase.

13. Method for managing a printing system according to claim 12, in which the transition from a printing phase to a pause phase is done by acting simultaneously on all of the valve modules and the transition from a pause phase to a printing phase is done by acting on the first valve module and the third valve module simultaneously, the action on the second valve module being deferred by a defined period of time.

Images