Slit nozzle for large area printing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a slit nozzle for large area printing, which can reduce printing time and improve uniformity by discharging a printing material in a line manner, thereby enabling printing over a wide area at once. The nozzle includes a syringe that contains the printing material for printing, a pair of manifolds to which the syringe is connected and formed with a chamber that stores the printing material discharged from the syringe and discharges it in the form of a line, and a shim plate located between the pair of manifolds, which allows the printing material discharged from the syringe to be uniformly filled in the chamber and determines the discharge thickness of the discharged printing material.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a slit nozzle for large-area printing, and more particularly to a slit nozzle for large-area printing that can shorten printing time and improve uniformity by discharging printing material in a line manner, thereby enabling batch printing over a large area. [Background technology]

[0002] 3D printing is a type of additive manufacturing that creates a desired shape by layering materials one by one based on 3D digital data obtained through scanning or modeling, and in a broad sense, 3D printing technology can refer to the entire additive manufacturing process. The 3D printing process is known to reduce the energy required for production by more than 50% and the material by more than 90% compared to other existing processing processes.

[0003] 3D printing methods are broadly divided into nine types depending on the layering method, of which the so-called material extrusion method is the most widely used for home use due to its simplest hardware configuration. Material extrusion 3D printers include fused filament fabrication (FFF) and material extrusion (ME) 3D printers. ME 3D printers generally create 3D structures by spraying material from above a movable modeling plate, where a printer head movable in the X and Y directions can also move in the Z direction. The filament used is typically a thermoplastic resin with a circular cross section measuring 1.25 to 3 mm in diameter. The supplied filament is melted and sprayed through a nozzle located at the bottom of the printer head, layer by layer.

[0004] However, conventional 3D printers use nozzles with circular cross sections to build structures by layering them. Most nozzles with a specific circular diameter are manufactured with very small diameters to build precise shapes, making it easy to build precise structures. However, when building large-area structures, the material is ejected in a dot-like form, which increases the manufacturing time and reduces work efficiency. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0047550 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and its object is to provide a slit nozzle for large area printing that can shorten the printing time and improve uniformity when printing a large area by discharging printing material in a line. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above object, a slit nozzle for large area printing according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a syringe containing printing material for printing, a pair of manifolds to which the syringe is connected and having a chamber formed therein for storing the printing material dispensed from the syringe and dispensing it in the form of a line, and a shim plate positioned between the pair of manifolds for uniformly filling the chamber with the printing material dispensed from the syringe and determining the dispense thickness of the dispensed printing material.

[0008] The chambers may be formed in each of a pair of manifolds or in only one manifold.

[0009] At least one of the chambers may be formed in the manifold.

[0010] A syringe coupling portion is formed on an upper portion of the manifold so that a syringe can be connected thereto, and the inside of the syringe coupling portion can be in communication with a chamber so that the printing material contained in the syringe can be discharged into the chamber.

[0011] The chamber may be formed to be longer and inclined on both sides so that the printing material contained in the syringe can flow through the syringe fastening portion at the same amount and be uniformly discharged in the form of a line.

[0012] The syringe fastening portion may be provided in a plurality so that a plurality of syringes can be connected.

[0013] The shim plate has a contact piece formed on the top thereof to be in close contact with the side of a syringe fastening portion to which a syringe is connected so that material can be smoothly injected into the chamber through the syringe fastening portion, and the inner line may be aligned with the upper line of the chamber.

[0014] The shim plate is formed to the same thickness as the set ejection thickness of the printing material, and can be replaced with a shim plate that matches the ejection thickness of the printing material.

[0015] The pair of manifolds are closely fitted to each other with a shim plate positioned therebetween, and bolts and nuts are fastened through the insertion grooves, so that the manifolds can be detachably connected and used.

[0016] The shim plate may have an insertion groove into which a bolt for connecting a pair of manifolds is inserted.

[0017] The printing material may include a natural polymer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] As described above, according to the slit nozzle for large-area printing according to the present invention, at least one chamber in a "single" shape is formed inside a pair of manifolds to which a syringe containing printing material is connected and from which material is discharged for printing, and a shim plate is provided between the pair of manifolds, so that the shim plate allows the printing material to be uniformly filled in the chambers and the printing material is discharged in a line through the "single" shaped chambers, enabling large-area printing in one go, thereby reducing the time and improving uniformity of large-area printing, thereby improving work efficiency and structure quality. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating a slit nozzle for large area printing according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a slit nozzle for large area printing according to the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a slit nozzle for large area printing according to the present invention; [Figure 4] 2 is a schematic diagram of the ejection state of printing material from a slit nozzle for large-area printing according to the present invention; FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a front view illustrating an example of a manifold to which multiple syringes of a slit nozzle for large area printing according to the present invention are connected; [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating an example of a manifold for a slit nozzle for large area printing according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] While the present invention can be modified in various ways and has various embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail, but it should be understood that this is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific embodiments, and that the present invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0021] In the drawings, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the particular shapes shown, and may be exaggerated for clarity. Although specific terms are used in this specification, they are used for the purpose of describing the present invention, and are not used to limit the meaning or scope of the invention as described in the claims.

[0022] As used herein, the term "and / or" is used to mean that at least one of the listed elements is included. Furthermore, the term "coupled" is used to mean that something is directly coupled to another element or indirectly coupled through another element. As used herein, the singular also includes the plural unless otherwise stated. Furthermore, as used herein, the terms "comprise" or "comprises" refer to the presence or addition of one or more other elements, steps, operations, and elements.

[0023] In the description of the embodiments, when a layer (film), region, pattern, or structure is described as being formed "on" or "under" a substrate, each side (film), region, pad, or pattern, this includes being formed directly or via another layer. References to "on" or "under" each layer are made with reference to the drawings.

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a slit nozzle for large-area printing according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a slit nozzle for large-area printing according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a slit nozzle for large-area printing according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the printing material being ejected from a slit nozzle for large-area printing according to the present invention, FIG. 5 is a front view of an example of a manifold to which multiple syringes of a slit nozzle for large-area printing according to the present invention are connected, and FIG. 6 is a front view of an example of a manifold of a slit nozzle for large-area printing according to the present invention.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the slit nozzle 10 for large area printing according to the present invention can perform printing by discharging the printing material 110 contained in the syringe 100 while being moved by the printer's driving device and control device.

[0027] A slit nozzle 10 for large area printing according to the present invention may include a syringe 100, a manifold 200, and a shim plate 300.

[0028] The syringe 100 accommodates a printing material 110 for printing, and flows the printing material 110 into a manifold 200, where the printing material 110 is discharged through the manifold 200, thereby enabling printing.

[0029] In this case, the printing material 110 contained in the syringe 100 may be made of a natural polymer, and the natural polymer may include at least one selected from the group consisting of 3D printable materials such as viscous collagen and tissue-derived decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM). In addition, the natural polymer may include at least one selected from the group consisting of a solution type, a fibrous type, a lyophilized type, etc. Meanwhile, the printing material 110 is not limited to a natural polymer, and it is preferable that other materials can also be used.

[0030] The manifold 200 is connected to a syringe 100 containing the printing material 110, stores the printing material 110 dispensed from the syringe 100, and dispenses it in the form of a line, allowing printing over a wide area. The manifold 200 may be connected in pairs to both sides of the lower part of the syringe 100. As shown in Fig. 5(a), a plurality of pairs of manifolds 200 may be connected in parallel.

[0031] In addition, a syringe fastening portion 210 for connecting the syringe 100 is formed on the upper portion of the manifold 200, and a chamber 220 may be formed on the inner surface so that the printing material 110 contained in the syringe 100 can be ejected through the syringe fastening portion 210.

[0032] The syringe coupling portion 210 may be formed on each of a pair of manifolds. As shown in Fig. 5(b), the syringe coupling portion 210 may be formed in a plurality of portions corresponding to the number of syringes 100 so that a plurality of syringes 100 can be connected.

[0033] The chamber 220 may be formed to communicate with the syringe fastening portion 210 so that the printing material 110 contained in the syringe 100 can flow through the syringe fastening portion 210 .

[0034] The chamber 220 may be formed with an inclination on both sides of the syringe fastening part 210 so that the printing material 110 contained in the syringe 100 can flow in the same amount through the syringe fastening part 210 and be uniformly discharged. Also, the chamber 220 may be formed long in a "line" shape so that the printing material 110 can be discharged in the form of a line and printed over a wide area.

[0035] In addition, the chambers 220 may be formed in each of a pair of manifolds 200 as shown in Fig. 6(a), or may be formed in only one of the pair of manifolds 200 as shown in Fig. 6(b). When a plurality of syringe fastening portions 210 are formed as shown in Fig. 5(b), a plurality of chambers 220 may be formed according to each syringe fastening portion 210, or a single chamber 220 may be formed for a plurality of syringe fastening portions 210 as shown in Fig. 5(c).

[0036] Meanwhile, the pair of manifolds 200 are closely fitted to each other and can be detachably connected by fastening a bolt B and a nut N through the insertion groove 230. The outer surface of the lower part of the manifold 200 can be formed in a tapered T shape to ensure smooth printing even when the slit nozzle 10 is vertical or tilted at a certain angle to the printing surface.

[0037] The shim plate 300 is provided between a pair of manifolds 200, and allows the printing material 110 supplied from the syringe 100 to be uniformly filled into the chamber 220 through the syringe fastening part 210. In addition, the shim plate 300 may have a fastening piece 310 formed on its upper part, which is in close contact with the side of the syringe fastening part 210 to which the syringe 100 is connected, so that the printing material 110 can be smoothly introduced into the chamber 220 through the syringe fastening part 210.

[0038] The internal line L1 of the shim plate 300 may be positioned on the same line as the upper end line L2 of the chamber 220 or positioned above or below it depending on the filling volume of the printing material 110. That is, when the shim plate 300 is tightly fitted between a pair of manifolds 200, the printing material 110 that has passed through the syringe fastening portion 210 can be uniformly and accurately filled into the chamber 220 to match the required volume depending on the distance between the upper end line L2 of the chamber 220 and the internal line L1 of the shim plate 300.

[0039] The shim plate 300 may be formed to the same thickness as the set discharge thickness of the printing material 110. That is, the printing thickness of the structure may be determined by the thickness of the shim plate 300. Also, the shim plate 300 may be replaced by a shim plate 300 having a thickness that matches the discharge thickness of the printing material 110, by separating the pair of manifolds 200. The shim plate 300 may have an insertion groove 320 into which a bolt B for connecting a pair of manifolds 200 is inserted. The operation of the slit nozzle for large area printing according to the present invention having the above-described structure will be explained in detail below.

[0040] A shim plate 300 is sandwiched between the pair of manifolds 200, and a syringe 100 is connected to a syringe fastening portion 210 of the pair of manifolds 200, so that the printing material 110 contained in the syringe 100 can flow into the pair of manifolds 200. At this time, the printing material 110 can be filled into the chamber 220 through the syringe fastening portion 210.

[0041] The printing material 110 can be uniformly filled in the chamber 220 and then uniformly discharged to the outlet of the slit nozzle 10. The chamber 220, into which the printing material 110 is filled and discharged, is formed in a "single" shape extending left and right, so that the printing material 110 is extruded in a line while the slit nozzle 10 is moved in a specific direction, achieving a plane coating effect and shortening the printing time for a large area.

[0042] For example, it was confirmed through experiments that while a printing process requiring approximately 208 seconds in a conventional printing process in which the printing material is ejected in a dot shape, the printing process requiring approximately 46 seconds in the slit nozzle 10 of the present invention in which the printing material 110 is ejected in a line shape is shortened by approximately 80% compared to the conventional process.

[0043] In addition, by adjusting the gap of the shim plate 300 (thickness, chamber opening rate, etc.), a pipeline resistance is created within the chamber 220, and the internal chamber 220 of the manifold 200 is uniformly filled with the natural polymer printing material 110. Thereafter, the printing material 110 is evenly discharged to the outlet of the slit nozzle 10 according to the adjusted gap of the shim plate 300, thereby improving the uniformity of printing.

[0044] In this way, the syringe 100 containing the printing material 110 is fastened to a pair of manifolds (200), and the printing material 110 is filled inside the manifold 200, forming a chamber 220 that is long from left to right in a "single" shape. A shim plate 300 is provided between the pair of manifolds 200, so that the printing material 110 drawn into the syringe 100 is supplied directly from the syringe 100 to the manifold 200, and is uniformly filled in the chamber 220 by the shim plate 300, allowing for printing over a wide area at once.

[0045] Although the foregoing detailed description of the present invention has described only specific embodiments thereof, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific forms set forth in the detailed description, but rather includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0046] In other words, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and explanations described above, and various modifications can be made by anyone with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims, and such modifications are within the scope of protection of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 10: Slit nozzle 100: Syringe 110: Printing materials 200: Manifold 210: Syringe fastening part 220: Chamber 230: Insertion groove 300: Shim plate 310: Adhesion piece 320:Charging groove

Claims

1. a syringe containing printing material for printing; a pair of manifolds to which the syringes are connected and which are formed with chambers for storing the printing material dispensed from the syringes and dispensing it in the form of lines; and a shim plate positioned between the pair of manifolds, for allowing the printing material discharged from the syringe to be uniformly filled in the chamber and for determining the discharge thickness of the discharged printing material; a protruding syringe fastening portion is formed on an upper portion of the manifold so that the syringe can be connected thereto, and an inside of the syringe fastening portion is in communication with a chamber so that the printing material contained in the syringe can be discharged into the chamber; The chamber is formed to be longer and inclined on both sides so that the printing material contained in the syringe can flow through the syringe fastening part at the same amount and be uniformly discharged in the form of a line, The shim plate is formed so that a shim plate corresponding to a set discharge thickness of the printing material can be replaced and used, and an inner line L1 at a lower part of the shim plate, through which the printing material flows from the chamber, can be positioned on the same line as an upper end line L2 of the chamber, or positioned above or below the upper end line L2.

2. 2. The slit nozzle for large area printing according to claim 1, wherein the chambers are formed in each of a pair of manifolds or in only one manifold.

3. 3. The slit nozzle for large area printing according to claim 1, wherein at least one chamber is formed in a manifold.

4. 2. The slit nozzle for large area printing according to claim 1, wherein the syringe coupling portion is provided in a plurality of portions so that a plurality of syringes can be connected thereto.

5. 2. The slit nozzle for large-area printing according to claim 1, wherein the shim plate has a contact piece formed thereon, the contact piece being in close contact with a side of a syringe fastening portion to which a syringe is connected at an upper portion thereof, so that material can pass through the syringe fastening portion and be smoothly injected into the chamber.

6. 2. The slit nozzle for large-area printing according to claim 1, wherein the pair of manifolds are closely fitted to each other with a shim plate disposed therebetween, and are detachably connected to each other by fastening bolts and nuts through insertion grooves.

7. 7. The slit nozzle for large area printing according to claim 6, wherein the shim plate has an insertion groove into which a bolt for connecting the pair of manifolds is inserted.

8. The slit nozzle for large area printing according to claim 1 , wherein the printing material comprises a natural polymer.

Images