Docking device for additive manufacturing processes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a locking mechanism (100) for coupling an outlet (16) of a container (12) and an inlet (18) for a component of an additive manufacturing process. The locking mechanism (100) includes one or more locking members (102a, 102b) that are movable between at least a first position and a second position in use. One or more actuators (104a, 104b) are provided and configured to control the movement of the one or more locking members (102a, 102b) between the first position and the second position in use. The one or more locking members (102a, 102b) are configured to engage an outer surface of the outlet (16) of the container (12) when in the second position to couple the outlet (16) and the inlet (18) for a component of an additive manufacturing process.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a docking arrangement, and more particularly to a docking arrangement used in an additive manufacturing process for supplying material, such as powder, held in a container (e.g., a hopper) to an additive manufacturing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, additive manufacturing (AM) refers to the process of fabricating 3D objects by stacking layers of material or materials. Traditionally, materials have been supplied to AM machines in the form of powders (e.g., metal powders). For small-scale manufacturing processes, powders can be supplied from containers (e.g., plastic containers). For large-scale processes, hoppers have been designed to transport large amounts of powder and feed it to AM machines. These hoppers have been modified to ensure that the environmental conditions (e.g., atmosphere, humidity, etc.) within the hopper are controlled. For example, some powders oxidize in air and therefore must be placed under a controlled atmosphere. Furthermore, it is often desirable to prevent the powder from getting wet, which can lead to problems when feeding powder to AM machines, i.e., preventing the powder from flowing out of the hopper. However, to date, no complete solution has been provided.

[0003] For example, there is a need for a docking device that can dock and couple a hopper containing material (e.g., powder) for a manufacturing process to a component of an additive manufacturing process (e.g., an additive manufacturing device) in order to supply powder from the hopper to the component.

[0004] It is necessary to provide a device that can control the supply of material from a hopper, for example, automatically and / or manually, depending on the situation. For example, the supply of material from a hopper is typically gravity-fed, and in large-scale processes, manual control, for example, out of reach, may be unsuitable. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a device that allows an operator to control the supply of material from a hopper without having to physically contact the hopper, for example, to open the hopper outlet.

[0005] It is necessary to provide a device that can properly secure the hopper to the component. This may be necessary to stabilize the bond between the hopper and the component (e.g., an airtight / liquid-tight seal provided at the bond between the hopper and the component) and / or to maintain the required environmental control. It may also be necessary to ensure that the bond between the hopper and the component remains secured in place during material feeding. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, an object of embodiments of the present invention is to overcome or at least partially mitigate one or more problems related to the prior art. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a locking mechanism for coupling an outlet of a container and an inlet for a component of an additive manufacturing process. The locking mechanism includes one or more locking members movable, in use, between at least a first position and a second position, and one or more actuators configured, in use, to control movement of the one or more locking members between at least the first position and the second position. When in the second position, the one or more locking members are configured to engage an outer surface of the outlet of the container to couple the outlet of the container and the inlet for the component of an additive manufacturing process.

[0008] Advantageously, the movement of the locking member, and thus the coupling of the outlet of the container with the inlet of the component, may be controlled under the action of one or more actuators.

[0009] In embodiments of the present invention, one or more locking members may comprise rollers.

[0010] Advantageously, the use of one or more rollers can overcome (or at least partially mitigate) jamming problems that arise with conventional locking mechanisms, which can use cam-type locking mechanisms. Specifically, powder used in additive manufacturing processes, such as that contained in a container, can restrict or block the movement of conventional locking mechanisms, causing the system to malfunction. In contrast, rollers can provide a relatively low-friction connection that is less susceptible to such problems.

[0011] In embodiments of the present invention, each of the rollers may be rotatable about a central axis of rotation. The axis of rotation may be defined by a coupling between one or more rollers and a respective actuator. In some embodiments, one or more rollers are coupled to a respective actuator via a fastener. The fastener may comprise a U-shaped fastener that allows free rotation of the one or more rollers about the axis of rotation defined by the fastener.

[0012] In a further embodiment, one or more locking members may comprise a cam.

[0013] In embodiments of the invention, each of the cams may be rotatable about a first pivot point under the action of one or more actuators, and each of the cams may be rotatably mounted to a respective actuator at a second pivot point.

[0014] The first and second positions may be first and second longitudinal positions, respectively. In further embodiments, the first and second positions may be first and second rotational positions, respectively.

[0015] In embodiments of the invention, the locking mechanism may be provided within a recess defined by the open end of the inlet, such as the upper open end of the inlet. In such embodiments, the locking mechanism may be positioned such that it can act on an outer surface of the outlet when the outlet is received within the recess defined by the open end of the inlet.

[0016] In embodiments of the invention, each of the one or more actuators comprises a linear actuator, which in embodiments of the invention may be a piston. Advantageously, linear actuators such as pistons can be used to generate a relatively large force (at a relatively low resource cost) to couple and secure the outlet of the container.

[0017] Each of the pistons may be pneumatically or hydraulically controlled through the introduction and / or removal of fluid into an associated piston chamber. In an embodiment of the invention, the introduction of fluid into a piston chamber moves the associated piston and causes the associated locking member to move from a first position to a second position. Similarly, the removal of fluid from the piston chamber moves the associated piston and causes the associated locking member to move from the second position to the first position.

[0018] In alternative embodiments, the one or more actuators may comprise an electrical actuator, such as a solenoid or a motor.

[0019] In embodiments of the invention, one or more actuators may be configured such that operation of one or more actuators is decoupled. In some embodiments, operation of one or more actuators may be decoupled such that an associated locking member can be retained in either the first position or the second position as desired.

[0020] In some embodiments, operation of the locking mechanism may be controllable via a control system. For example, in embodiments of the present invention, a control system may be provided to control the movement of one or more locking members.

[0021] The control system may be configured to take into account the operational state of one or more components of an associated docking apparatus when controlling the movement of one or more locking members. For example, in some embodiments, the control system may be configured to take into account the operational state of a valve arrangement of the container when controlling the movement of one or more locking members. The control system may be configured to require an outlet valve of the valve arrangement to be in a closed state before moving one or more locking members from the second position to the first position to unlock the locking mechanism.

[0022] In embodiments of the invention, the control system may be configured to prevent opening of the outlet valve of the valve device depending on the position of the one or more locking members. For example, the control system may be configured to prevent opening of the outlet valve of the valve device unless the one or more locking members are in a second position and the locking mechanism is locked with the outlet of the container coupled and secured in position relative to the inlet.

[0023] In embodiments of the present invention, the locking mechanism may comprise two (or more) locking members. In some embodiments, the locking mechanism comprises a pair of opposing locking members. In such embodiments, the pair of opposing locking members may be configured to engage corresponding exterior surfaces of the outlet of the container.

[0024] In embodiments of the present invention, one or more locking members may be configured to be received within a groove in the exterior surface of the container outlet. For example, in some embodiments, one or more locking members may be configured to have a shape that complements a groove in the exterior surface of the outlet. In embodiments including multiple locking members, each of the locking members may correspond to a respective groove portion in the exterior surface of the outlet. In other embodiments, one or more locking members may be configured to be received within a groove that extends around the entire circumference of the outlet. This allows such embodiments to couple an outlet and an inlet without requiring precise alignment of the container outlet and the component inlet.

[0025] In embodiments of the present invention, the container may include a hopper.

[0026] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a docking apparatus for an additive manufacturing process comprising a dock associated with an inlet for a component of the additive manufacturing process, a container having an outlet, and a locking mechanism according to the first aspect of the invention configured, in use, to couple the outlet of the container with the inlet for the component of the additive manufacturing process.

[0027] According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of coupling an outlet of a container with an inlet for a component of an additive manufacturing process using a locking mechanism according to the first aspect of the present invention, the method comprising the steps of positioning the outlet of the container within or adjacent an open end of the outlet, and moving one or more locking members of the locking mechanism from a first position to a second position under operation of one or more actuators such that the one or more locking members engage an outer surface of the outlet of the container, coupling the outlet of the container with the inlet for a component of an additive manufacturing process. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, one or more embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the docking device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the docking device of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of area A in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the docking device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of region B in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of an operating handle. [Figure 7A] 7 is a side view of the operating handle shown in FIG. 6 in a specific state. [Figure 7B] 7 is a side view of the operating handle shown in FIG. 6 in another state. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the operating handle. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the operating handle shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 10A] 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views of the operating handle of FIGS. 8 and 9 in a particular state. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B is an enlarged view of region C in FIG. 10A. [Figure 11A] 10 is a cross-sectional view of the operating handle of FIGS. 8 and 9 in another state. FIG. [Figure 11B] FIG. 11B is an enlarged view of region D in FIG. 11A. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a locking mechanism. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of components of the locking mechanism of FIG. 12. [Figure 14A] 14A and 14B are cross-sectional views of the locking mechanism of FIGS. 12 and 13 in certain states. [Figure 14B] FIG. 14B is an enlarged view of region E in FIG. 14A. [Figure 15A] 14B is a view corresponding to FIG. 14A, but with the locking mechanism in another state. [Figure 15B]FIG. 15B is an enlarged view of region F in FIG. 15A. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a locking mechanism. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the locking mechanism of FIG. 16. [Figure 18A] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a control strategy for operating a docking apparatus as described herein. [Figure 18B] FIG. 18B is a flow diagram showing a continuation of the control strategy of FIG. 18A. [Figure 19] 19 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating further features of the docking device of FIGS. 1-18. FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a further cross-sectional side view of the docking device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The present invention relates to a docking apparatus 10 for a manufacturing process, such as an additive manufacturing process.

[0030] 1 and 2, docking apparatus 10 includes a dock 11 to which a container in the form of a hopper 12 can be coupled. These figures show hopper 12 undocked from and docked to dock 11, respectively. In use, dock 11 may correspond to an apparatus in an additive manufacturing process, and hopper 12 may contain powder (such as metal powder) to be fed to the apparatus.

[0031] The hopper 12 includes a stand 22 and support arms 24 for supporting the container 14 of the hopper 12 on the stand 22. In the illustrated embodiment, three support arms 24 are provided. The container 14 may contain powder for an additive manufacturing process. The container includes a cylindrical upper portion above a frusto-conical portion, leading to an outlet.

[0032] Hopper 12 includes an outlet 16 that can be coupled and secured to an inlet 18 on dock 11. The coupling between outlet 16 and inlet 18 of hopper 12 includes a locking mechanism 100. As described in detail herein, locking mechanism 100 provides a means for locking and securing outlet 16 and inlet 18 such that material from receptacle 14 of hopper 12 is delivered through dock 11 to another component of the manufacturing process. In the illustrated embodiment, inlet 18 is provided with a conduit 20 for delivering material from hopper 12 to another component of the manufacturing process.

[0033] The base of the stand 22 of the hopper 12 includes an opening 21 for receiving a corresponding protruding member 23 on the dock 11. As shown, the protruding member 23 projects upwardly from the surface 13 of the dock 11. The engagement between the opening 21 and the corresponding protruding member 23 may act to further secure the hopper 12 to the dock 11 during use.

[0034] The hopper 12 is provided with a valve arrangement 26 for controlling the flow of material out of the receptacle 14 of the hopper 12. In the presently preferred embodiment, the valve arrangement comprises an outlet valve in the form of a butterfly valve. However, it should be noted that the present invention is not so limited, and the valve arrangement 26 may comprise any suitable valve type. In the illustrated embodiment, the outlet valve is controlled via an operating handle 50. As described herein, the operating handle 50 may be used to open and / or close the outlet valve of the valve arrangement 26 through rotation of a lever 52 of the operating handle 50. In embodiments of the present invention, this may be accomplished via an actuator 40 operably coupled to the operating handle 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the actuator 40 forms part of the dock 11 and is positioned such that, upon docking of the hopper 12 to the dock 11, the operating handle 50 and the actuator 40 are positioned relative to one another for subsequent actuation of the operating handle 50.

[0035] Hopper 12 is also provided with a gas inlet 32. As will be described with reference to Figures 19 and 20, gas inlet 32 ​​may be used to control the pressure level within vessel 14 of hopper 12, in use. For example, it may be desirable to increase the pressure within hopper 12 to assist the flow of material from outlet 16.

[0036] As described herein, the docking apparatus 10 includes a dock 11 that can correspond to (or form part of) an apparatus for an additive manufacturing process (e.g., an additive manufacturing apparatus or a sieve, etc.), and a hopper 12 that can contain powder to be supplied to that apparatus. However, in some cases, it may be desirable to supply powder / material to the hopper 12, for example, to replenish the material in the hopper 12. Accordingly, the top surface of the hopper 12 is provided with an openable hatch 30 that allows communication with the interior of the container 14 of the hopper 12. In some cases, material from another hopper may be supplied to the hopper 12. In such cases, the docking apparatus 10 may be used, where the inlet 18 (and optionally the conduit 20) serves as an inlet to the hopper 12, and the other hopper is docked on the dock 11. This may be useful in embodiments where materials in two different hoppers need to be mixed, or simply to replenish the material in the hopper 12. In embodiments of the present invention, material from one hopper or additive manufacturing apparatus may be passed through a sieve before being supplied to the hopper 12. In such cases, the docking apparatus 10 may be adapted to receive the sieve.

[0037] 3-7B show an embodiment of the operating handle 50 and how the actuator 40 can be used to actuate the operating handle 50 to open and / or close the outlet valve of the valve arrangement 26.

[0038] The operating handle 50 includes a lever 52 rotatable between a plurality of rotational positions and a rotatable shaft 56 connected to the lever 52. As described herein, rotation of the lever 52 causes corresponding rotation of the shaft 56, which in turn acts on an outlet valve (not shown) to control the flow of material out of the hopper 12.

[0039] The lever 52 is coupled (e.g., suitably fixed or integrally formed) via an end 64 to a rotatable shaft 56 of the operating handle 50 along approximately half its length, such that the lever 52 pivots about its centre and defines a first lever arm 53a and a second lever arm 53b on either side of the end 64. In use, the lever 52 (and thus the rotatable shaft 56) is rotatable between two rotational positions corresponding to a fully closed and a fully open configuration of the associated valve arrangement 26.

[0040] In this embodiment, the actuator 40 is in the form of a dual piston device including a first piston 42 and a second piston 45. The first piston 42 and the second piston 45 are movable between a plurality of positions to effect rotation of the lever 52. As shown in the figures and as described herein, the first piston 42 is configured to act on the first lever arm 53a, and the second piston 45 is configured to act on the second lever arm 53b to rotate the lever arms 53a and 53b as desired.

[0041] The first piston 42 includes a pair of first piston arms 41 a and 41 b and an upper support member 43 to which the piston arms 41 a and 41 b are coupled. A first roller 49 a is attached to the support member 43 and is positioned to interact with a first lever arm 53 a of a lever 52 in use. The piston arms 41 a and 41 b are configured to move in and out of a first piston chamber 47 in use, e.g., via a hydraulic or pneumatic device, to introduce or remove fluid from the first piston chamber 47. Alternatively, the actuator 40 may include an electric actuator, such as a solenoid or motor, configured to move the arms 41 a and 41 b. By moving in and out of the first piston chamber 47, the piston arms 41 a and 41 b cause corresponding movement of the support member 43, and thus the roller 49 a, to actuate the movement (linear and / or rotational) of the lever 52 via interaction with the first lever arm 53 a.

[0042] Similarly, the second piston 45 includes a pair of second piston arms 44a and 44b and an upper support member 46 to which the piston arms 44a and 44b are coupled. A second roller 49b is attached to the support member 46 and is positioned to interact with a second lever arm 53b of the lever 52 in use. The piston arms 44a and 44b are configured to move in and out of the second piston chamber 48 in use, e.g., via a hydraulic or pneumatic device, to introduce or remove fluid from the second piston chamber 48. Alternatively, and as described above, the actuator 40 may comprise an electric actuator. By moving in and out of the second piston chamber 48, the piston arms 44a and 44b cause corresponding movement of the support member 46, and thus the roller 49b, to actuate the movement (linear and / or rotational) of the lever 52 via interaction with the second lever arm 53b.

[0043] Pistons 42 and 45 are configured to move linearly between a retracted position, a first position, and a second position, and movement from the retracted position to the first position allows pistons 42 and 45 to contact respective lever arms 53 a and 53 b depending on the rotational position of lever 52.

[0044] Specifically, when the first piston 42 moves from the retracted position to the first position with the lever 52 in the first rotational position, the first roller 49a contacts the first lever arm 53a. As described herein, contact of the first roller 49a with the first lever arm 53a may cause linear movement of the first lever arm 53a. Subsequently, movement of the first piston 42 from the first position to the second position acts on the first lever arm 53a to rotate the lever 52 from the first rotational position to the second rotational position. As described herein, this may affect the opening of the valve device 26.

[0045] Similarly, when the second piston 45 moves from the retracted position to the first position while the lever 52 is in the second rotational position, the second roller 49b contacts the second lever arm 53b. As described herein, contact between the second roller 49b and the second lever arm 53b may cause linear movement of the second lever arm 53b. Subsequently, movement of the second piston 45 from the first position to the second position acts on the second lever arm 53b to rotate the lever 52 from the second rotational position to the first rotational position, which may act to close the valve device 26.

[0046] The first roller 49a and the second roller 49b are configured to cause linear movement of the lever 52 from a first linear position to a second linear position when the first roller 49a and / or the second roller 49b contact the lever arms 53a and 53b, respectively, i.e., when the pistons 42 and 45 move from their retracted positions to their first positions. This linear movement of the lever 52 is necessary to disengage the lever 52 from a rotational retention mechanism that prevents rotation of the lever 52. As shown in FIG. 6 (and as described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 8-11B), the operating handle 50 includes an outer sheath 54 within which a rotatable shaft 56 is received. The sheath 54 includes a slot 60 configured to receive a protrusion 58 associated with the shaft 56. The slot 60 includes a series of cutouts 62a, 62b, and 62c that define the rotational position of the lever 52 and, therefore, the shaft 56 of the operating handle 50. Protrusion 58 is configured to move along slot 60 in outer sheath 54 upon rotation of lever 52 and corresponding rotation of shaft 56. With lever 52 in a first linear position, protrusion 58 may be received in one of notches 62a, 62b, and 62c, thereby preventing rotation of shaft 56 under operation of lever 52. Thus, movement of lever 52 to a second linear position (e.g., by contacting roller 49a or 49b with lever arms 53a and 53b, respectively, of lever 52) is required to move protrusion 58 away from one of notches 62a, 62b, and 62c, thereby allowing shaft 56 to rotate under movement of lever 52.

[0047] The roller 49a and lever 52 are configured to move the first lever arm 53a away from the roller 49a when the first piston 42 moves from the first position to the second position and rotates the lever 52 from the first rotational position to the second rotational position. This allows the lever 52 to move linearly from the second linear position to the first linear position (e.g., under the action of a biasing member, as described below) and re-engage the rotational retention mechanism to prevent further rotation of the lever 52. In this manner, the lever 52 may be retained in the second rotational position following actuation of the first piston 42. Specifically, this is achieved by angling the roller 49a relative to the lever 52 such that the roller 49a is disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first lever arm 53a when the first piston 42 is in the first position and the lever is in the first rotational position. When the first piston 42 moves to the second position and the lever 52 moves 90° to the second rotational position, the roller 49a moves to a position parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first lever arm 53a, moving the lever arm 53a away from the roller 49a.

[0048] The roller 49b is similarly configured. Specifically, the roller 49b is configured to move the second lever arm 53b away from the roller 49b when the second piston 45 moves from the first position to the second position and the lever 52 rotates from the second rotational position to the first rotational position. This allows the lever 52 to move linearly from the second linear position to the first linear position (e.g., under the action of a biasing member, as described below) and re-engage the rotational retention mechanism to prevent further rotation of the lever 52. In this manner, the lever 52 may be retained in the first rotational position following actuation of the second piston 45. Specifically, this is achieved by angling the roller 49b relative to the lever 52 such that the roller 49b is positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second lever arm 53b when the second piston 45 is in the first position and the lever 52 is in the second rotational position. When the second piston 45 moves to the second position and the lever 52 moves 90° to the first rotational position, the roller 49b moves to a position parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second lever arm 53b, moving the lever arm 53b away from the roller 49b.

[0049] 8 to 11B show modified examples of the operating handle 50 shown in Figures 1 to 7. Unless otherwise specified below, the operating handle 50 shown in Figures 8 to 11B has substantially the same configuration as the operating handle 50 shown in Figures 1 to 7. Therefore, in the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, the configuration of the operating handle 50 described above will be described in more detail.

[0050] As described herein, the operating handle 50 is configured, in use, to control operation of an outlet valve (not shown) of the valve device 26 to control the flow of manufacturing material out of the outlet 16 of the hopper 12. The operating handle 50 includes a lever 52, a rotatable shaft 56 including a first shaft portion 56a and a second shaft portion 56b, and an outer sheath 54 within which the rotatable shaft 56 is positioned. The first shaft portion 56a is connected to the lever 52, such that rotation of the lever 52 causes corresponding rotation of the shaft 56, which in turn acts on the outlet valve (not shown) to control the flow of material out of the hopper 12. In the illustrated arrangement, a bore 80 is provided at the end of the shaft 56, which functions as a female coupling for interacting with a corresponding male coupling on the valve device 26. When coupled, rotation of the shaft 56 acts to cause corresponding rotation of the male coupling on the valve device 26 to open or close the outlet valve.

[0051] Lever 52 includes an end portion 64 that is coupled to (e.g., integrally formed with or suitably connected to) first shaft portion 56a via end portion 64. End portion 64 may itself be integrally formed with or suitably connected to the remainder of lever 52, depending on the application.

[0052] At the end of the outer sheath 54, specifically at the opposite end of the sheath 54 relative to the lever 52, the sheath 54 includes a connection point 70 for connecting and fixing the operating handle 50 to the valve device 26 on the hopper 12 of the docking device 10. Furthermore, at this end of the sheath 54, openings 74a and 74b are provided for receiving screws 72 for fixing the second shaft portion 56b in the appropriate position within the sheath 54. The openings may be provided with threaded surfaces for interacting with the screws 72. Corresponding (threaded) openings 76a and 76b are provided at the end of the second shaft portion 56b.

[0053] The first and second shaft portions 56a, 56b are operably coupled via a rod 66. The rod 66 is configured to reside within corresponding slots 67a, 67b in the first and second shaft portions 56a, 56b. The rod 66 provides an interface between the first and second shaft portions 56a, 56b, ensuring that upon rotation of the lever 52 (e.g., via operation of an actuator), the second shaft portion 56b rotates with the first shaft portion 56a.

[0054] The length of slots 67a and 67b is large enough to allow corresponding rod 66 to move therein, e.g., such that first shaft portion 56a can move axially relative to second shaft portion 56b between first and second axial positions along an axis extending substantially centrally along the length of shaft 56. In use, upon linear movement of lever 52, first shaft portion 56 moves between the first and second axial positions, which may be moved manually or under the action of an actuator (e.g., actuator 40), as described herein.

[0055] Similarly, the lengths of the slots 67a and 67b are sufficiently small so that at least a portion of the corresponding rod 66 is received in the opposing slots 67a and 67b, and such that the first and second shaft portions 56a, 56b always remain operably coupled with the first shaft portion 56a in either the first or second axial position, which ensures that the first and second shaft portions 56a, 56b are prevented from rotating independently.

[0056] In the first axial position, the first shaft portion 56a is spaced apart from the second shaft portion 56b with a gap 78 between the shaft portions 56a and 56b (see FIGS. 10A and 10B). In the second axial position, the first shaft portion 56a is proximate to the second shaft portion 56b, substantially eliminating the gap 78 therebetween (see FIGS. 11A and 11B).

[0057] The first and second shaft portions 56a and 56b are further operatively coupled via a biasing member in the form of a spring 68 disposed at either end of the bores 69a and 69b of the first and second shaft portions 56a and 56b, respectively. The spring 68 is configured to apply a biasing force that acts with or against movement of the first shaft portion 56a between the first and second axial positions. In the illustrated embodiment, the biasing force applied by the spring 68 acts against movement of the first shaft portion 56a from the first axial position to the second axial position. Similarly, the biasing force applied by the spring 69 acts with movement of the first shaft portion 56b from the second axial position to the first axial position. In this manner, the biasing force acts to bias / retain the first shaft portion 56a in the first axial position unless acted upon, for example, by a user or through interaction of the actuator with the lever 52 or other components of the operating handle 50.

[0058] Configuring the shaft 56 in this manner allows both the first shaft portion 56a and the second shaft portion 56b to rotate reliably together, while the second shaft portion 56b remains substantially axially stationary relative to an outlet valve (not shown), for example, so as to remain operably coupled to the outlet valve at all times, and the first shaft portion 56a can move axially relative to the second shaft portion 56b as needed, for example, to engage / disengage with a rotational retention mechanism described herein.

[0059] As briefly mentioned above, the operating handle 50 includes a rotational retention mechanism for retaining the lever 52, and thus the shaft 56, in one of a plurality of rotational positions as desired. Specifically, the outer sheath 54 includes a slot 60 configured to receive a protrusion 58 associated with the first shaft portion 56a. The protrusion 58 is configured to move along the slot 60 in the outer sheath 54 upon rotation of the lever 52 and corresponding rotation of the shaft 56. In the illustrated embodiment, the protrusion 58 takes the form of a dowel suitably positioned and secured within an opening in the first shaft portion 56a. The dowel protrudes from the outer surface of the first shaft portion 56a.

[0060] The slot 60 includes multiple notches 62a, 62b, and 62c for receiving the protrusions 58. The notches 62a, 62b, and 62c act to retain the protrusions 58 and prevent rotation of the shaft 56. In effect, the notches 62a, 62b, and 62c define three angular positions in which the shaft 56 and lever 52 can be retained. The notch 62a corresponds to a first rotational position of the lever 52, the notch 62c corresponds to a second rotational position of the lever 52, and the notch 52b corresponds to an intermediate rotational position of the lever 52 between the first and second rotational positions. Thus, the notches 62a, 62b, and 62c correspond to three operating states of an outlet valve (not shown), including a fully closed state, an intermediate state, and a fully open state for controlling the flow of, for example, manufacturing materials.

[0061] First shaft portion 56a, and thus the entire shaft 56, is rotatable when first shaft portion 56a is in the second axial position. Similarly, first shaft portion 56b, and thus shaft 56, is prevented from rotating when first shaft portion 56b is in the first axial position because protrusion 58 remains in contact with one of notches 62a, 62b, and 62c in slot 60. Spring 68 maintains first shaft portion 56a in the first axial position, with protrusion 58 remaining in contact with one of notches 62a, 62b, and 62c, preventing rotation of shaft 56, unless handle 50 is actuated (by a user or an actuator). To rotate the shaft 56, i.e., open / close an associated outlet valve, the first shaft portion 56a can be moved (e.g., by linear movement of the lever 52) to a second axial position against the biasing force of the spring 68, disengaging the protrusions 58 from the notches 62a, 62b, and 62c, and thereby moving the protrusions 58 along the slot 60, i.e., with the rotation of the shaft 56. After the shaft 56 has been rotated to a desired angular position (corresponding to an associated operational state of the outlet valve), any external force applied to the first shaft portion 56a is released, e.g., by a user manipulating the lever 52 or via an actuator, and the spring 68 can bias the first shaft portion 56a back to the first axial position, with the protrusions 58 engaging the corresponding notches 62a, 62b, and 62c in the slot 60 and the rotational position of the lever 52 and shaft 56 being maintained.

[0062] In the variation shown in FIGS. 8-11B, the lever 52 pivots around the operating handle 50 at its end, rather than at its center as in the operating handle 50 shown in FIGS. 1-7. Therefore, the configuration of the actuator 40 may not be suitable for use with this variation. Accordingly, in the variation shown in FIGS. 8-11B, the end 64 of the lever 52 includes a hole 65 that functions as a female coupling configured to receive a corresponding male coupling of an associated actuator (not shown). When coupled via the male / female coupling, the actuator is configured to cause linear movement and / or rotation of the shaft 56 without the user manually manipulating the lever 52. In this manner, the device provides an operating handle that can be controlled manually or automatically without manual input, depending on the situation. However, in this variation, the actuator may be separately aligned and coupled with the hole 65 after the hopper 12 is placed in the dock 11. Also, similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-7B, the actuator and operating handle may be aligned as desired during docking of the hopper.

[0063] In a further variation (not shown), the operating handle may comprise a right-angle drive arrangement, whereby a vertically oriented actuator (e.g., a vertically oriented actuator drive shaft) may be received within a coupling on a correspondingly oriented operating handle upon docking of the hopper 12. In such an arrangement, the operating handle may include a gear arrangement, which may include a pair of bevel gears that, under movement / rotation of the actuator, result in corresponding rotation of the horizontally oriented drive shaft of the valve device 26.

[0064] In embodiments of the present invention, the operating handle 50 may correspond to the type of material in the hopper 12. For example, in the variations shown in FIGS. 8-11B, the holes 65 may have a configuration that corresponds to the type of material in the hopper 12. Therefore, a specially configured actuator must be used to act on the operating handle 50 to open or close the associated outlet valve. The actuator may be associated with a particular component of the manufacturing process. In this manner, the configuration of the operating handle 50 may be such that the handle 50 is only used for (and material dispensed from) a particular component in the manufacturing process. Thus, the operating handle 50 may be configured to prevent the wrong type of material from being dispensed in the wrong location or to the wrong component.

[0065] 12-15B illustrate one embodiment of a locking mechanism 100 in accordance with the present invention. The locking mechanism 100 is configured to couple and secure the outlet 16 of the hopper 12 to the inlet 18 of another component of an additive manufacturing process, such as an additive manufacturing apparatus. Specifically, the locking mechanism 100 has the inlet 18 and is positioned such that the locking mechanism 100 can act on an exterior surface of the outlet 16 when the outlet 16 is received within the open top end of the inlet 18.

[0066] The locking mechanism 100 includes a pair of opposing locking members in the form of rollers 102a and 102b. Rollers 102a and 102b are movable in a direction perpendicular to their axes of rotation. In the orientation shown, this includes horizontal movement. Movement of rollers 102a and 102b is controlled via respective linear actuators in the form of pistons 104a and 104b. Rollers 102a and 102b are attached to respective pistons 104a and 104b via respective U-shaped fasteners 106a and 106b. This allows rotational movement of rollers 102a and 102b about their respective axes of rotation. This mounting arrangement is shown in FIG. 13. Alternatively, the rollers may include an outer collar rotatably mounted to the remainder of the roller, for example, by needle bearings.

[0067] In use, pistons 104a and 104b are configured to control the movement of respective rollers 102a and 102b between a first longitudinal position (FIGS. 14A and 14B) and a second longitudinal position (FIGS. 15A and 15B). In the illustrated embodiment, the first longitudinal position of rollers 102a and 102b corresponds to an "unlocked" state of locking mechanism 100, and the second longitudinal position corresponds to a "locked" state of locking mechanism 100.

[0068] In an alternative embodiment, the roller is attached to an actuator other than a piston / cylinder arrangement, which may be an electrical actuator such as a solenoid.

[0069] The outlet 16 of the hopper 12 is provided with a groove 112, shown here as opposing groove portions 112a and 112b, on its outer surface. Groove portions 112a and 112b correspond to rollers 102a and 102b, respectively. The groove 112 may be provided around the entire circumference of the outlet 16. This allows the hopper 12 to be secured within the docking apparatus 10 in such an embodiment without having to position the hopper 12 with the groove 112 precisely aligned with the respective rollers 102a and 102b.

[0070] In use, groove portions 112a and 112b are configured to at least partially receive respective rollers 102a and 102b to secure outlet 16 of hopper 12 to inlet 18. Specifically, the process of coupling and securing outlet 16 and inlet 18 begins with rollers 102a and 102b in a first longitudinal position. With rollers 102a and 102b in the first longitudinal position, outlet 16 of hopper 12 can be brought into close proximity with, and preferably contact with, inlet 18. In the illustrated embodiment, outlet 16 is positioned within recess 107 in the open end of inlet 18, as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B. With outlet 16 in this position, rollers 102a and 102b move to a second longitudinal position (FIGS. 15A and 15B) under the action of respective pistons 104a and 104b. When in the second longitudinal position, rollers 102a and 102b are at least partially received within groove 112, specifically within corresponding groove portions 112a and 112b in the outer wall of outlet 16, which prevents outlet 16 from being pulled out of recess 107 in inlet 18. In this manner, locking mechanism 100 may be used to couple and secure outlet 16 and inlet 18 together.

[0071] The pistons 104a and 104b are pneumatically controlled through the introduction and / or removal of gas into the respective piston chambers 108a and 108b. Gas is supplied to and / or removed from the piston chambers 108a and 108b via respective supply pipes 110a and 110b. As understood herein, the introduction of gas into the piston chambers 108a and 108b causes the pistons to move inward (in the configuration shown), moving the rollers 102a and 102b to their second longitudinal positions. The removal of gas from the piston chambers 108a and 108b causes the pistons to move outward (in the configuration shown), moving the rollers 102a and 102b to their first longitudinal positions.

[0072] The locking and unlocking of the locking mechanism 100 may be controlled, preferably via a central control system (not shown). The central control system may also take into account other operating states of the components of the docking apparatus 10 when controlling the operation of the locking mechanism 100. For example, the central control system may require that the outlet valve of the valve apparatus 26 be in a closed state before allowing / controlling the unlocking of the locking mechanism 100. Similarly, the central control system may be configured to prevent the opening of the outlet valve of the valve apparatus 26 unless the locking mechanism 100 is locked with the outlet 16 and inlet 18 coupled and secured in place.

[0073] An alternative locking mechanism 100' is shown in FIGS.

[0074] Locking mechanism 100' includes a pair of locking members in the form of cams 102a' and 102b' rotatably mounted about respective first pivot points 109a' and 109b'. In use, rotation of cams 102a' and 102b' about their respective first pivot points 109a' and 109b' causes cams 102a' and 102b' to move in and out of the interior of inlet 18 between locked and unlocked positions to engage and disengage from outlet 16 of hopper 12, similar to rollers 102a and 102b shown in Figures 1-15.

[0075] Additionally, the ends of cams 102a' and 102b' are rotatably mounted via second pivots 107a' and 107b' to respective linear actuators in the form of pistons 104a' and 104b'. As described herein, in use, movement of cams 102a' and 102b' is controlled via pistons 104a' and 104b'. Specifically, pistons 104a' and 104b' are configured to control movement of respective cams 102a' and 102b' between a first rotational position corresponding to an "unlocked" state of locking mechanism 100' and a second rotational position corresponding to a "locked" state of locking mechanism 100'. In the unlocked state, cams 102a' and 102b' are positioned substantially out of the interior of inlet 18 (as shown in FIG. 17 ). In the locked state, the cams 102a' and 102b' protrude into the inlet 18 and engage the outer surface (eg, groove 112) of the corresponding outlet 16 of the hopper 12, as described above.

[0076] As will be appreciated from this specification, pistons 104a' and 104b' may be pneumatically controlled through the introduction and / or removal of gas into and / or from respective piston chambers 108a' and 108b'. Gas is supplied to and / or removed from piston chambers 108a' and 108b' via respective supply pipes 110a' and 110b'.

[0077] Introduction of gas into piston chambers 108a' and 108b' causes the pistons to move upward (in the configuration shown) and cams 102a' and 102b' to rotate from a first rotational position to a second rotational position about their respective first pivot points 109a' and 109b'. In contrast, removal of gas from piston chambers 108a' and 108b' causes the pistons 108a' and 108b' to move downward (in the configuration shown) and cams 102a' and 102b' to rotate back from the second rotational position to the first rotational position about their respective first pivot points 109a' and 109b'.

[0078] In the illustrated embodiment, cams 102a' and 102b' are "over-center" cams. When cams 102a' and 102b' rotate about their respective first pivot points 109a' and 109b' past horizontal (i.e., past the horizontal alignment of first pivot points 109a' and 109b' with their respective second pivot points 107a' and 107b'), cams 102a' and 102b' are effectively locked in place when in their respective second rotational positions, unless acted upon by respective pistons 104a' and 104b'. This prevents unintentional "unlocking" of locking mechanism 100' during use by any internal force / pressure exerted on cams 102a' and 102b', for example, from outlet 16 of hopper 12.

[0079] Similar to locking mechanism 100, the locking and unlocking of locking mechanism 100' may be controlled, preferably via a central control system (not shown). The central control system may also take into account other operational states of the components of docking apparatus 10 when controlling the operation of locking mechanism 100'. An exemplary control strategy 200 for the central control system is shown in the flow diagrams of FIGS. 18A and 18B. Where applicable, FIGS. 18A and 18B include representations showing the operational states of the locking mechanism 100 and the operating handle 50 / actuator 40 devices at each step of control strategy 200.

[0080] FIG. 18A shows the first half of a control strategy 200 that includes securing a hopper 12 on a dock 11 and then opening a valve device 26 so that material in the hopper 12 is delivered to another associated component of the manufacturing process.

[0081] Specifically, in step 202, the locking mechanism 100 is provided in an open configuration. That is, the rollers 102a and 102b are held in their respective first longitudinal positions such that the outlet 16 of the hopper 12 is positioned relative to the inlet 18 of the dock 11, as described herein. In this step, the first piston 42 and the second piston 45 of the actuator 40 are held in a retracted position with the rollers 49a and 49b not contacting their respective lever arms 53a and 53b. As shown, the lever 52 is positioned in a first rotational position, which corresponds to a closed configuration for the associated valve device 26.

[0082] In step 204, a check is made to ensure that the outlet 16 of the hopper 12 is positioned within the entrance 18 of the dock 11. If not, the locking mechanism 100 remains in the open configuration.

[0083] Once the outlet 16 of the hopper 12 is in place within the inlet 18, the locking mechanism 100 may be closed in step 206. As described herein, closing the locking mechanism 100 includes moving the pistons 104a and 104b to move the respective rollers 102a and 102b to a second longitudinal position, specifically into contact with the respective groove portions 112a and 112b in the outer surface of the outlet 16. During this step, the first piston 42 and the second piston 45 are held in their retracted positions.

[0084] In steps 208 and 210, a pressure check is performed to ensure that a sealed connection has been made between the outlet 16 and the inlet 18. If not, the process returns to step 202, where the locking mechanism 100 may be opened and the locking process of steps 202-206 may be repeated.

[0085] Once a sealed connection is confirmed, pistons 42 and 45 move to their respective first positions in step 212. Specifically, roller 49a associated with piston 42 contacts first lever arm 53a of lever 52. This returns lever 52 and disengages it from the rotational retention mechanism.

[0086] In step 214, the piston 42 moves to a second position, which rotates the lever 52, and thus the shaft 56 of the operating handle 50, 90 degrees to a second rotational position, as shown. The second rotational position of the lever 52 corresponds to an open configuration of the valve device 26, which allows material from the hopper 12 to exit through the outlet 16 and enter another component of the manufacturing process via the inlet 18.

[0087] Once the desired amount of material has been removed from the hopper 12, the reverse process may be performed, thereby closing the valve device 26, unlocking the locking mechanism 100, and removing the hopper 12 from the dock 11. This is shown in Figure 18B.

[0088] In step 216, the second piston 45 moves to a second position, causing the roller 49b to act on the second lever arm 53b of the lever 52. This causes the lever 52 to rotate 90° back to the first rotational position. In this way, the valve device 26 can be closed to prevent further material from exiting the hopper 12.

[0089] In step 218, both the first piston 42 and the second piston 45 are returned to their retracted positions, where the rollers 49a and 49b are disengaged from their respective lever arms 53a and 53b. In this manner, the lever 52 is free to move under the biasing force applied by the spring 68 and can engage the rotational retention mechanism to secure the lever 52 in the first rotational position (with the valve device 26 closed).

[0090] In step 220, a check is made to ensure that the valve arrangement 26 is closed. If not, the process returns to step 216 and steps 216 and 218 are repeated to close the valve arrangement 26.

[0091] Once closure of the valve device 26 is confirmed, the process proceeds to step 222, where the locking mechanism 100 may be opened. Specifically, the pistons 104a and 104b move the respective rollers 102a and 102b to a first longitudinal position, specifically away from the respective groove portions 112a and 112b in the outer surface of the outlet 16. This releases the hopper 12 from the dock 11 so that the hopper 12 can be removed.

[0092] 19 and 20 illustrate further features of docking apparatus 10. Specifically, these figures illustrate the operational use of gas inlet 32. As shown, a gas supply unit 34 is coupled to gas inlet 32 ​​and connected via gas supply line 33 to a gas supply 35 associated with dock 11. To achieve this coupling, supply pipes 36a and 36b of the supply line are coupled via couplers 38a and 38b to couplers 37a and 37b on dock 11, respectively.

[0093] In some cases, the gas provided by the gas supply may include air, but may also include a specific type of gas required by the material in hopper 12. As described herein, some materials may oxidize in air and therefore need to be kept in a controlled atmosphere. Therefore, gas supply 35 may include an inert gas (e.g., argon, nitrogen, etc.) that can adequately inhibit oxidation or other degradation of the material in hopper 12.

[0094] In a further use, gas supply 35 provides a source of gas to hopper 12 to control the pressure level within hopper 12 to assist in the flow of material from outlet 16 of hopper 12. Hopper 12 may also include a gas outlet (not shown) that can act as a bleed valve, for example, to ensure that the pressure level within vessel 14 remains at a desired level or below a maximum allowable pressure level. This allows gas to be released from hopper 12, and gas supply 35 can be used to purge and replace the gas within hopper 12 with gas from gas supply 35.

[0095] The gas supply unit 34 may include one or more pressure sensors for monitoring the pressure in the hopper 12 and for controlling the supply of gas to the hopper 12 based on the monitored pressure level. The operation of the gas supply unit 34 may be controlled by a control system (not shown).

[0096] In a further embodiment, gas supply 35 may be coupled to a gas inlet (not shown) at the interface between outlet 16 of hopper 12 and inlet 18 on dock 11. In such an embodiment, gas supply 35 may be used to purge the interface between hopper 12 and a component of the manufacturing process to prevent degradation of the material as it is transferred to the component.

[0097] The above-described embodiment or embodiments have been described by way of example and many variations are possible without departing from the scope of protection provided by the appended claims.

Claims

1. a locking mechanism for coupling an outlet of a container with an inlet for a component of an additive manufacturing process, the locking mechanism comprising: one or more locking members movable in use between at least a first position and a second position; one or more actuators configured to control, in use, movement of the one or more locking members between at least the first position and the second position; Equipped with the one or more locking members are configured to engage an outer surface of the outlet of the container when in the second position to couple the outlet of the container with the inlet for the component of the additive manufacturing process. Locking mechanism.

2. The locking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is disposed within a recess defined by an open end of the portal.

3. The locking mechanism of claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more locking members comprise rollers.

4. The locking mechanism of claim 3 , wherein each of the rollers is coupled to a corresponding one of the actuators via a U-shaped fastener.

5. The locking mechanism of claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more locking members comprise a cam.

6. The locking mechanism of any preceding claim, wherein the first position and the second position comprise a first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position, respectively.

7. The locking mechanism of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first position and the second position comprise a first rotational position and a second rotational position.

8. A locking mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more actuators comprise a linear actuator.

9. The locking mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the one or more actuators comprise a piston.

10. 10. A locking mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more actuators are configured such that operation of the one or more actuators is separable to retain an associated locking member in either the first position or the second position.

11. A locking mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein operation of the locking mechanism is controllable via a control system.

12. The locking mechanism of claim 11 , wherein the control system is configured to take into account the operational state of one or more components of an associated docking apparatus when controlling the movement of the one or more rollers.

13. A locking mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising a pair of locking members located on opposite sides of the outlet of the container.

14. 14. The locking mechanism of claim 13, wherein the pair of opposed locking members are configured to engage the corresponding exterior surface of the outlet of the container.

15. A locking mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more locking members are configured to be received within a groove in the outer surface of the outlet of the container.

16. 1. A docking apparatus for an additive manufacturing process, comprising: a dock associated with an entrance for components of the additive manufacturing process; a container having an outlet; a locking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 11 configured, in use, to couple the outlet of the container with the inlet for the component of the additive manufacturing process; Equipped with Docking device.

17. A method for coupling an outlet of a container with an inlet for a component of an additive manufacturing process using a locking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 15, comprising the steps of: positioning the outlet of the container within or adjacent the open end of the inlet; moving one or more locking members of the locking mechanism from a first position to a second position under operation of one or more actuators such that the one or more locking members engage an outer surface of the outlet of the container to couple the outlet of the container with the inlet for the component of the additive manufacturing process; Including, method.

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