Consumable material conveying apparatus, material box, and 3D printer

Abstract

A consumable material conveying apparatus, a material box, and a 3d printer. By means of switching positions of a gear shifting mechanism, movement of different trays, and advance and return of materials, can be achieved, making a structure is simpler. A tray driving mechanism is used to drive a tray at a corresponding position to rotate. The gear shifting mechanism comprises at least two gear shifting positions. A conveying driving assembly is used to provide feeding power. A switching driving assembly is used to drive the gear shifting mechanism to switch between different gear shifting positions.

Description

Consumable material conveying device, material box and 3D printer Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of 3D printing, and in particular to a consumable material conveying device, a material box and a 3D printer. Background Art

[0002] A 3D printer, also known as a three-dimensional 3D printer (3DP), is a type of additive manufacturing technology. The filament is wound around a filament reel and forced through a nozzle by an extruder. The filament melts in the nozzle and is then sprayed onto the print platform. The relative movement of the nozzle and print platform allows spraying to follow the contours of the model slices, layer by layer, creating a three-dimensional shape. The color and material of the model are determined by the filament. To meet the diverse needs of printed models, multiple filaments can be used simultaneously in the printing process.

[0003] In the prior art, in order to achieve multi-consumable printing, multiple feed channels are set on the nozzle to be connected to a single discharge channel, and an extruder is set separately for each consumable disk. When switching from one consumable to another, it is necessary to start the extruder corresponding to the original consumable, drive the original consumable to return, so that the original consumable exits the discharge channel and returns to the end located in the feed channel, and then start the extruder corresponding to the new consumable, and push the new consumable to the feed channel to achieve material change. Each consumable corresponds to a separate extruder, which takes up a large space, has redundant structure, and is inconvenient to install. When changing materials frequently, it is necessary to switch the control of the extruder, resulting in a cumbersome control process.

[0004] Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, in order to solve at least one of the above technical problems, the present invention provides a consumable material conveying device, a material box and a 3D printer.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention mainly provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] On the one hand, an embodiment of the present invention provides a consumable material conveying device, comprising:

[0008] A material tray transmission mechanism is used to drive the material tray at the corresponding position to rotate; a shifting mechanism includes at least two shifting positions; a conveying drive assembly is used to provide feeding power; a switching drive assembly is used to drive the shifting mechanism to switch between different shifting positions; when the shifting mechanism is in the first shifting position, it is respectively connected to the conveying drive assembly and the material tray transmission mechanism corresponding to the first position to drive the material tray corresponding to the first position to move; when the shifting mechanism is in the second shifting position, it is respectively connected to the conveying drive assembly and the material tray transmission mechanism corresponding to the second position to drive the material tray corresponding to the second position to move.

[0009] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a material box, comprising any of the aforementioned consumable material conveying devices, and a main shell, wherein the consumable material conveying device is connected to the main shell, and the main shell is also used to connect to the material tray.

[0010] On the other hand, the present invention further provides a 3D printer, comprising any of the aforementioned consumable material conveying devices, or comprising any of the aforementioned material boxes.

[0011] The embodiments of the present invention propose a consumable material conveying device, a material box and a 3D printer, which mainly switch between different shift positions by moving a shift mechanism, thereby driving the movement of material trays corresponding to different positions, and realizing feeding or withdrawing of materials. There is no need to control the extrusion mechanism corresponding to each material tray separately, which greatly reduces the control burden. The shift mechanism and the conveying drive assembly are arranged in parallel, replacing the original multiple independently arranged extruders, making the structure simpler and avoiding the problems of structural redundancy and installation difficulties. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a material box provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0013] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a partial structure of a material box provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0014] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of an exploded structure of a partial structure of a material box provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of another partial structure of a material box provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of a material box provided by an embodiment of the present invention in an empty position at a first viewing angle.

[0017] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a shift mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present invention at a first viewing angle.

[0018] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of another shift mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0019] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a shift mechanism provided by an embodiment of the present utility model at a second viewing angle.

[0020] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of an exploded structure of a shift mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0021] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of a feeding assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention at a first viewing angle.

[0022] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of a feeding assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention at a second viewing angle.

[0023] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of an active roller of a material tray provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0024] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of an active roller of a material tray provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0025] FIG14 is a schematic structural diagram of a conveying drive assembly provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0026] FIG15 is a schematic structural diagram of a material box provided by an embodiment of the present invention at a feeding position.

[0027] FIG16 is a partial enlarged view of the material box shown in FIG15 in the C area.

[0028] FIG17 is a schematic structural diagram of a material box provided by an embodiment of the present utility model when it is in the material return position.

[0029] FIG18 is a partial enlarged view of the material box shown in FIG17 in the D area.

[0030] FIG19 is a schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of a material box provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0031] FIG20 is a schematic structural diagram of a third partial structure of a material box provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG21 is a partial enlarged view of the material box shown in FIG20 in the E area.

[0033] FIG22 is a schematic structural diagram of a partial structure of another material box provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0034] FIG23 is a schematic structural diagram of another material box provided by an embodiment of the present invention when it is in the feeding position.

[0035] FIG24 is a partial enlarged view of the material box shown in FIG23 in the F area.

[0036] FIG25 is a schematic structural diagram of another material box provided by an embodiment of the present utility model in the material return position.

[0037] FIG26 is a partial enlarged view of the material box shown in FIG25 at area G. ...

[0038] FIG27 is a schematic structural diagram of another shift mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present utility model. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] In order to further illustrate the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve the predetermined purpose of the utility model, the following is a detailed description of the specific optional implementation methods, structure, characteristics and effects of the consumable material conveying device proposed in accordance with the present invention in combination with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments.

[0040] On the one hand, as shown in Figures 1 to 27, an embodiment of the present invention provides a consumable material conveying device for connecting multiple material trays 10, and the consumable material conveying device 1000 includes: a material tray transmission mechanism 500, for driving the material trays at corresponding positions to rotate; a shifting mechanism 100, including at least two shifting positions; a conveying drive assembly, for providing feeding power; a switching drive assembly 200, for driving the shifting mechanism to switch between different shifting positions; when the shifting mechanism is in the first shifting position, it is respectively connected to the conveying drive assembly and the material tray transmission mechanism 500 corresponding to the first position to drive the material tray 10 corresponding to the first position to move; when the shifting mechanism is in the second shifting position, it is respectively connected to the conveying drive assembly and the material tray transmission mechanism 500 corresponding to the second position to drive the material tray 10 corresponding to the second position to move.

[0041] The feed tray 10 typically includes a center roller and two baffles. The baffles are circular, plate-like structures spaced parallel to each other, with the center roller positioned between the two baffles and centered. The center rollers are connected to the two baffles, forming a roughly I-shaped feed tray. The center roller is used to wind the filamentary consumables, while the baffles confine the consumables within the space enclosed by the baffles and the center rollers. During the unloading process, the consumables are drawn from the nozzle and moved toward the feed tray 10. If the feed tray 10 is stationary, the consumables will accumulate between the consumables feed and unloading mechanism and the feed tray 10. To prevent consumables from drooping, bending, or damage due to material accumulation, the feed tray 10 can be rotated during the unloading process by the consumables conveyor to rewind the ejected consumables. The feed tray transmission mechanism 500 can be rotatably connected to the main body of the 3D printer, so as to contact the feed tray 10. Alternatively, in an optional embodiment including a bracket 600, the feed tray transmission mechanism 500 is rotatably connected to the bracket, for example, via a bearing 900. The tray drive mechanism 500 extends axially along the center roller of the tray 10 and abuts the edge of the retaining plate of the tray 10 at a corresponding position. In some optional embodiments, the movement of the tray can also be used for feeding, that is, the first and second shift positions are feed shift positions. For example, the rotation of the tray is driven to gradually release the consumables on the tray, which can then be used in conjunction with an additional extruder to feed the consumables, avoiding the laborious process of pulling the consumables by the consumable extruder. Alternatively, in some optional embodiments, the rotation of the tray can be used to feed the consumables directly to the print head without the need for an extruder.

[0042] In an optional embodiment, the tray transmission mechanism 500 is arranged opposite to the shifting mechanism 100, and the shifting mechanism 100 is located between the tray transmission mechanism 500 and the conveying drive assembly. This makes the shifting mechanism 100 closer to the drive assembly and the tray transmission mechanism 500, making it easier to be transmission-connected to the conveying drive assembly and the tray transmission mechanism 500, making the overall structure compact. In an optional embodiment, the shifting mechanism 100 includes a linkage and at least two feeding assemblies 110, at least two feeding assemblies 110 are connected to the linkage, and the feeding assemblies 110 correspond to the tray 10. The first shift position includes a material return shift position, the second shift position includes a material return shift position, and the position of the feeding assembly 110 includes a material return position. When the shifting mechanism 100 is in the material return shift position, at least one of the two feeding assemblies 110 is in the material return position. When the feeding assembly 110 is in the material return position, the feeding assembly 110 is transmission-connected to the conveying drive assembly and the tray transmission mechanism 500 at the corresponding position. The aforementioned first shift position and second shift position are both the material return shift positions of the shift mechanism, and the first shift position and the second shift position are two different material return shift positions. It can be understood that the number of material return shift positions is consistent with the number of material trays 10 and is not limited to two. The first shift position and the second shift position are any two material return shift positions. The linkage parts of the shift mechanism 100 can be of various types, so as to drive multiple feeding components 110 to move synchronously. The synchronous movement can be horizontal linear movement, tilt movement, rotation or rotation, etc. The feeding component 110 is configured to interact with the conveying drive component and the material tray transmission mechanism 500 only when it reaches the material return position, and then transmit the power of the conveying drive component to generate a driving effect on the material tray transmission mechanism 500 to drive the material tray 10 to rotate. When it does not reach the material return position, it will not interact with at least one of the conveying drive component or the material tray transmission mechanism 500. When different feeding components 110 are in the material-returning position, the corresponding overall position of the shift mechanism 100 is different, that is, multiple feeding components 110 correspond to multiple material-returning shift positions, or in other words, when different feeding components 110 are in the material-returning position, the corresponding shift mechanism 100 is in different material-returning shift positions as a whole, or in other words, when the shift mechanism 100 is in one material-returning shift position, only one feeding component 110 is in the material-returning position. The switching of the material-returning shift position can be various according to the overall movement mode of the shift mechanism 100. For example, if the aforementioned shift mechanism 100 moves horizontally, the switching drive component 200 is used to drive the shift mechanism 100 to move horizontally and move between multiple shift positions, or, if the aforementioned shift mechanism 100 rotates, the switching drive component 200 is used to drive the shift mechanism 100 to rotate and move between multiple shift positions.

[0043] The conveying drive assembly is used to interact with the feeding assembly 110 in the material return position to transmit power to the tray transmission mechanism 500, and then rewind the consumables. Since any material return shift position only corresponds to a single feeding assembly 110 in the material return position, the rotational return of any one of the multiple trays 10 can be realized, and it is only necessary to control the shift mechanism 100 to move as a whole to different material return shift positions. On the one hand, multiple extruders are integrated into a whole, making the structure more compact and simple, and on the other hand, it also simplifies the control process. When the consumables conveying device is installed, it only needs to correspond to the tray 10, that is, the tray 10 is placed corresponding to the tray transmission mechanism 500, and the material return of the specified tray 10 can be carried out by controlling the shift position of the shift mechanism 100.

[0044] The following illustrates an alternative embodiment with four material trays 10. The consumables on the four trays 10 can be the same, allowing for refilling after the consumables on a single tray 10 have been used. Alternatively, the consumables on the four trays 10 can be different, perhaps in different colors, enabling color switching when printing a multi-color model. Alternatively, the consumables on the four trays 10 can be different materials, achieving model diversification. The four trays 10 are arranged side by side at designated positions axially along the intermediate roller, so that the tray drive mechanism 500 corresponds to the trays 10 and can act on them. In an alternative embodiment in which the shift mechanism 100 rotates to switch the material return shift position, the shift mechanism 100 extends along the axial direction of the intermediate roller. When the first tray 10 needs to be fed or withdrawn, the shift mechanism 100 is rotated to the first shift position, placing the first feed assembly 110 corresponding to the first tray 10 in the material return position. At this point, the conveyor drive assembly provides power, causing the first tray 10 to rotate, thereby enabling the material on the first tray 10 to be withdrawn. When the consumables on the first material tray 10 are unloaded, the shift mechanism 100 is rotated to the second shift position, so that the second feeding assembly 110 corresponding to the second material tray 10 is located at the unloading position. At this time, the conveying drive assembly provides power to realize the unloading of the consumables on the second material tray 10. In this way, the switching of unloading of multiple material trays 10 is realized, and any material tray 10 can be rewound and unloaded.

[0045] The embodiments of the present invention propose a consumable material conveying device, a material box and a 3D printer, which mainly switch between different shift positions by moving a shift mechanism, thereby driving the movement of material trays corresponding to different positions, and realizing feeding or withdrawing of materials. There is no need to control the extrusion mechanism corresponding to each material tray separately, which greatly reduces the control burden. The shift mechanism and the conveying drive assembly are arranged in parallel, replacing the original multiple independently arranged extruders, making the structure simpler and avoiding the problems of structural redundancy and installation difficulties.

[0046] In the following optional implementation, a more specific optional implementation is described in which the linkage member is the first rotating shaft 120 and the shift mechanism 100 switches the shift position by rotating around the axis of the first rotating shaft 120.

[0047] The shift mechanism 100 and the conveying drive assembly can be directly connected to the main body of the 3D printer and can be rotated. Alternatively, in some optional embodiments, the consumable material conveying device further includes a bracket 600, and the shift mechanism 100 and the conveying drive assembly are both rotatably connected to the bracket 600. The bracket 600 can be fixed to the main body of the 3D printer, or an additional support structure can be used to support the bracket 600, or the bracket 600 can be placed directly on the operating table. The consumable material conveying device also includes multiple bearings 900, and the shift mechanism 100 and the conveying drive assembly are each rotatably connected to the bracket 600 via at least one bearing 900. Multiple bearings can be provided based on the contact position between the bracket 600, the shift mechanism 100, and the conveying drive assembly, such as providing a bearing 900 at each axial end of the shift mechanism 100 and a bearing 900 at each end of the conveying drive assembly. In order to stabilize the axial position of the shift mechanism 100 and the conveying drive assembly, as shown in Figures 6 and 14, the bearing 900 can also include a flange bearing, and a flange bearing insertion opening that matches the shape of the flange bearing is opened at the position corresponding to the flange bearing on the bracket 600. Through the interaction between the flange rib on the flange bearing and the flange bearing insertion opening, the axial positioning of the shift mechanism 100 and the conveying drive assembly can be achieved to avoid axial shaking. The bracket 600 can be open, supporting the shift mechanism 100 and the conveying drive assembly only at the bottom, or, as shown in Figure 1, the bracket 600 can be closed, the bracket 600 includes an inner cavity, the shift mechanism 100 and the conveying drive assembly are both located in the inner cavity, and a through hole is provided on the bracket 600 for the entry and exit of consumables.

[0048] In an optional embodiment, the feed assembly 110 includes a switching block 112 and a transmission assembly 111. The switching block 112 is connected to the first rotating shaft 120. The transmission assembly 111 is connected to the switching block 112 and protrudes from the circumferential side wall of the switching block 112. The transmission assemblies 111 on at least two feed assemblies 110 are located at the axial projection position of the first rotating shaft 120. When the feed assembly 110 is in the material withdrawal position, the transmission assembly 111 is in transmission connection with the conveyor drive assembly and the tray transmission mechanism 500.

[0049] During the material unloading process, the conveyor drive assembly rotates, and the transmission assembly 111 transmits the rotation of the conveyor drive assembly to the tray transmission mechanism 500, thereby connecting the tray transmission mechanism 500 to the conveyor drive assembly, thereby rotating the material tray 10. The switching drive assembly 200 is used to drive the first rotating shaft 120 to drive the multiple feeding assemblies 110 to rotate synchronously around the axis of the first rotating shaft 120. Because the transmission assemblies 111 on the multiple feeding assemblies 110 are projected at different positions along the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 120, the switching of different transmission assemblies 111 is achieved to interact with the conveyor drive assembly and the tray transmission mechanism 500.

[0050] The switching block 112 is mainly used to support the transmission assembly 111. In some optional embodiments, the switching block 112 may be absent, with only the transmission assembly 111 protruding from the circumferential sidewall of the first rotating shaft 120. Alternatively, the switching block 112 and the first rotating shaft 120 are integrally formed. This increases the difficulty of machining the first rotating shaft 120, while the use of the switching block 112 makes machining more convenient. The switching block 112 is fixed to the first rotating shaft 120 in both the circumferential and axial directions. As shown in FIG27 , the shift mechanism 100 further includes a plurality of limit blocks 140, which are connected to the linkage member and are used to limit the feed assembly 110. The feed assembly 110 is limited in the axial and circumferential directions by the limit blocks provided on both sides. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 9, the feed assembly 110 includes a switching block 112, a limiting latch 121 is provided on the linkage member, a limiting latch surface is provided on the perforated inner wall of the switching block 112, the switching block 112 is connected to the linkage member, and the limiting latch 121 interacts with the limiting latch surface to fix the feed assembly 110 and the linkage member. Since the transmission assembly 111 corresponds to different axial projection positions of the first rotating shaft 120, in order to limit the circumferential position, the limiting latch 121 is located at different positions on the circumference of the first rotating shaft 120. In addition, to facilitate the installation of the feed assembly 110, the feed assembly 110 also includes a plug-in 116, which is connected to the switching block 112, and the plug-ins 116 of at least two adjacent feed assemblies 110 are connected to each other.

[0051] Taking four feeding components 110 as an example, the four feeding components 110 are grouped in pairs, and the two feeding components 110 in a group are respectively provided with plug-ins 116 that can be plugged into each other. The plug-ins 116 can be plugs or inserts. In order to assist in determining the circumferential positions of multiple feeding components 110, the plug-ins 116 are configured so that they can be plugged into each other only when the circumferential positions of adjacent feeding components 110 are correct. This can be achieved by different shapes of the plugs and inserts, and is intended to assist in installation.

[0052] The feed assembly 110 may have only a single position, a material return position, or, in some optional embodiments, the consumable material conveying device may also have a material feeding function. When the shift mechanism is in the third shift position, the shift mechanism cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to clamp the consumable material in the first position, thereby moving the consumable material in the first position. When the shift mechanism is in the fourth shift position, the shift mechanism cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to clamp the consumable material in the second position, thereby moving the consumable material in the second position.

[0053] In an optional embodiment, the third shift position includes a feed shift position, the fourth shift position includes a feed shift position, and the position of the feed assembly 110 also includes a feed position. When the shift mechanism 100 is in the feed shift position, at least one of the two feed assemblies 110 is in the feed position. When the feed assembly 110 is in the feed position, the feed assembly 110 cooperates with the conveyor drive assembly to squeeze the consumables corresponding to the tray 10, thereby pushing the consumables to be fed or withdrawn when the conveyor drive assembly rotates. The transmission assembly 111 is disengaged from at least one of the conveyor drive assembly and the tray transmission mechanism 500. The third and fourth shift positions are both feed shift positions of the shift mechanism, and the third and fourth shift positions are different feed shift positions. It is understood that the number of feed shift positions is consistent with the number of trays 10, and the number of feed shift positions is not limited to two. The third and fourth shift positions can be any two feed shift positions. In one embodiment, the transmission assembly 111 is structurally separated from the conveyor drive assembly, thereby disengaging the transmission therebetween and preventing the power of the conveyor drive assembly from being transmitted to the tray transmission mechanism 500 via the transmission assembly 11. Alternatively, the transmission assembly 111 is structurally separated from the tray transmission mechanism 500, thereby disengaging the transmission therebetween and preventing the power of the conveyor drive assembly from being transmitted to the tray transmission mechanism 500 via the transmission assembly 11. Alternatively, the transmission assembly 111 is structurally separated from both the conveyor drive assembly and the tray transmission mechanism 500, thereby preventing the power of the conveyor drive assembly from being transmitted to the tray transmission mechanism 500 via the transmission assembly 111. In another embodiment, the transmission assembly 111 and the conveyor drive assembly may be disengaged due to a failure to transmit power between the two, thereby resulting in a power separation between the transmission assembly 111 and the conveyor drive assembly, rather than a physical separation between the two. Alternatively, the transmission assembly 111 and the tray transmission mechanism 500 may be disengaged due to a failure to transmit power between the two, thereby resulting in a power separation between the transmission assembly 111 and the tray transmission mechanism 500, rather than a physical separation between the two.

[0054] The feed position and the return position correspond to different shift positions of the shift mechanism 100 as a whole. That is, the number of return shift positions plus feed shift positions is twice the number of feed assemblies 110. By moving the shift mechanism 100 as a whole, the feed assembly 110 can be switched to the feed position to cooperate with the conveyor drive assembly to extrude the consumables for feeding, or the feed assembly 110 can be switched to the return position to transmit power between the conveyor drive assembly and the tray transmission mechanism 500, thereby driving the tray 10 to rotate and return the materials.

[0055] In an optional embodiment, the feeding assembly 110 further includes an acting assembly 113, which is connected to the switching block 112 and protrudes from the circumferential side wall of the switching block 112. The acting assemblies 113 on multiple feeding assemblies 110 correspond to different axial projection positions of the first rotating shaft 120. The acting assembly 113 is used to cooperate with the conveying drive assembly to extrude the consumables.

[0056] It's worth noting that when the feed assembly 110 is in the unloading position, it can cooperate with the conveyor drive assembly to squeeze the consumables corresponding to the tray 10, thereby pushing the consumables back as the conveyor drive assembly rotates. This allows for simultaneous squeezing and pushing of the consumables and rewinding of the tray 10. Alternatively, when the feed assembly 110 is in the unloading position, a gap can exist between the feed assembly 110 and the conveyor drive assembly to allow the consumables to move through. This means that the consumables are not squeezed back, but are simply pulled back by the rotation of the tray 10. This will be explained later in conjunction with more specific embodiments.

[0057] Specific optional implementations of two transmission components 111 and two action components 113 are provided below, wherein any transmission component 111 and any action component 113 can be combined with each other.

[0058] In an optional embodiment, the feeding assembly 110 includes an optional implementation of a first action assembly 113 and a first transmission assembly 111, as shown in Figures 15-18, the first transmission assembly 111 includes a first transmission member, a second transmission member, and an intermediate transmission member. The first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the intermediate transmission member are all rotatably connected to the switching block 112, and can be rotatably connected through a bearing. The intermediate transmission member is located between the first transmission member and the second transmission member, and is respectively transmission-connected to the first transmission member and the second transmission member. The first transmission member and the second transmission member correspond to different axial positions of the first rotating shaft 120, and the first transmission member and the second transmission member correspond to different axial projection positions of the first rotating shaft 120. When the feeding assembly 110 is in the feeding position, the first transmission member and the second transmission member are disengaged from the conveying drive assembly. When the feeding assembly 110 is in the unloading position, the second transmission member is transmission-connected to the conveying drive assembly, and the first transmission member is transmission-connected to the tray transmission mechanism 500.

[0059] The first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the intermediate transmission member can all be gears, which are connected by toothing. The angle between the first transmission members of two adjacent feeding assemblies 110 is related to the position of the material tray transmission mechanism 500 and the conveying drive assembly. For example, the material tray transmission mechanism 500 and the conveying drive assembly are respectively located on the radial sides of the shift mechanism 100. The angle between the circumferential direction of the first rotating shaft 120 of the two adjacent first transmission members is less than or equal to the quotient of 180 degrees and the number of material trays 10. For example, in the optional embodiment in which there are four feeding assemblies 110, as shown in Figure 11, the angle a between the first transmission members of the two adjacent feeding assemblies 110 can be 45 degrees, 40 degrees, 30 degrees, etc. If it is 40 degrees, the total angle of the range of the four first transmission members is 120 degrees. The first transmission member and the second transmission member of the same feeding assembly 110 correspond to the radial sides of the first rotating shaft 120. The first transmission member and the second transmission member are staggered in the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 120, and are spaced apart from each other to achieve contact or disengagement with the conveying drive assembly following the rotation of the first shaft. It is understood that the disengagement of the transmission between the first transmission member and the conveying drive assembly can be achieved by physically separating the connection / position of the two, or by interrupting the power transmission between the two in other ways, thereby causing the disengagement of the transmission between the first transmission member and the conveying drive assembly. Similarly, the disengagement of the transmission between the second transmission assembly and the conveying drive assembly can be achieved by physically separating the connection / position of the two, or by interrupting the power transmission between the two in other ways, thereby causing the disengagement of the transmission between the second transmission member and the conveying drive assembly.

[0060] The action assembly 113 includes a first action member and a second action member, both of which are connected to the switching block 112. The first action member corresponds to the axial projection position of the first transmission member on the first rotating shaft 120, and the second action member corresponds to the axial projection position of the second transmission member on the first rotating shaft 120. When the feeding assembly 110 is in the feeding position, the first action member cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to clamp the consumables at the corresponding position. When the feeding assembly 110 is in the unloading position, the second action member cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to clamp the consumables at the corresponding position.

[0061] In accordance with the aforementioned circumferential positions of the first transmission member and the first action member relative to the first rotating shaft 120, the first action member and the first transmission member are located at the same angle in the circumferential direction of the first rotating shaft 120, or in other words, are arranged relative to each other in the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 120. The second action member and the second transmission member are located at the same angle in the circumferential direction of the first rotating shaft 120, or in other words, are arranged relative to each other in the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 120. In accordance with the positional relationship between the first transmission member and the second transmission member, the angle between two adjacent first action members relative to the circumferential direction of the first rotating shaft 120 is less than or equal to the quotient of 180 degrees and the number of material trays 10. The first action member and the second action member of the same feeding assembly 110 are located on radially opposite sides of the first rotating shaft 120.

[0062] The first and second acting members can be bearings, and the side walls for contacting the consumables are provided with an annular recess adapted to the shape of the outer wall of the consumables, thereby preventing the consumables from laterally escaping from between the first acting member and the conveying drive assembly or the second acting member and the conveying drive assembly.

[0063] Each time the material is unloaded, the shift mechanism 100 is driven to rotate 180 degrees, and the first acting member and the conveying drive assembly are switched to the second acting member and the conveying drive assembly. After the material is unloaded, the shift mechanism 100 is driven to rotate 140 degrees, so that the first acting member corresponding to an adjacent tray area cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to extrude the consumables, or rotates to other corresponding angles, so that the first acting member required by any tray area cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to extrude the consumables. The shift mechanism corresponding to the same tray area rotates 180 degrees each time the material is fed and unloaded, which makes the control simpler and the logic more concise.

[0064] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, when in the feeding position, the first transmission member does not contact the point of action of the conveying drive assembly, and the first action member cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to extrude the consumables, and the second transmission member is in transmission connection with the tray transmission mechanism 500. During feeding, the conveying drive assembly rotates, the first action member rotates, pulling the consumables, causing the tray 10 to rotate, and then friction drives the tray transmission mechanism 500 to rotate, and the first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the intermediate transmission member all idle. As shown in Figures 17 and 18, when in the material withdrawal position, the first transmission member rotates to be in transmission connection with the tray transmission mechanism 500, and the second transmission member, due to its axial position corresponding to the point of action on the conveying drive assembly, will be in transmission connection with the conveying drive assembly, and the second action member rotates to cooperate with the conveying drive assembly to extrude the consumables, and the first action member corresponds to the tray transmission mechanism 500. When returning the material, the conveying drive assembly rotates, the second acting member rotates, and the consumables are retracted. The conveying drive assembly is transmitted in sequence through the second transmission member, the intermediate transmission member and the first transmission member, driving the material tray transmission mechanism 500 to rotate, and then friction drives the material tray 10 to rotate to retract the consumables.

[0065] In an optional embodiment, the feeding assembly 110 includes an optional implementation of a second action assembly 113 and a second transmission assembly 111. When in the feeding position, the action assembly 113 needs to cooperate with the conveying drive assembly, while when in the withdrawing position, the action assembly 113 may not cooperate with the conveying drive assembly, and the consumables are withdrawn only by the rotation of the material tray 10. Specifically:

[0066] As shown in Figures 22-27, the transmission assembly 111 includes a first transmission member and a second transmission member, both of which are rotatably connected to the switching block 112. The first transmission member includes a small gear and a large gear, and the small gear and the second transmission member are in driving connection. The large gear is coaxially arranged with the first rotating shaft 120 and is in driving connection with the material tray transmission mechanism 500. When the feed assembly 110 is in the feeding position, the second transmission member is disengaged from the conveyor drive assembly. When the feed assembly 110 is in the unloading position, the second transmission member is in driving connection with the conveyor drive assembly.

[0067] The first transmission member and the second transmission member are both gears, which are connected by gearing. The large gear is always connected by gearing with the tray transmission mechanism 500, while the second transmission member is in contact with or out of contact with the conveying drive assembly.

[0068] The action assembly 113 includes a first action member. The first action member and the second transmission member correspond to different axial projection positions of the first rotating shaft 120. The first action member is connected to the switching block 112. When the feeding assembly 110 is in the feeding position, the first action member cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to clamp the consumables at the corresponding position. When the feeding assembly 110 is in the unloading position, the switching block 112 and the conveying drive assembly are opposite, and the consumables move freely between the switching block 112 and the conveying drive assembly.

[0069] The first acting member can be a bearing, and the side wall for contacting the consumable is provided with an annular recess adapted to the shape of the outer wall of the consumable, thereby preventing the consumable from laterally escaping from between the first acting member and the conveying drive assembly or the second acting member and the conveying drive assembly.

[0070] As shown in Figures 23 and 24, when in the feeding position, the first transmission member does not contact the point of action of the conveying drive assembly, and the first acting member cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to extrude the consumables. The second transmission member will be idle due to the circumferential position deviation from the first acting member. During feeding, the conveying drive assembly rotates, the first acting member rotates, pulling the consumables, causing the material tray 10 to rotate, and then friction drives the material tray transmission mechanism 500 to rotate, and the first transmission member idles. As shown in Figures 25 and 26, when in the material withdrawal position, the second transmission member rotates to correspond to the point of action on the conveying drive assembly, and will be connected to the conveying drive assembly, while the first acting member rotates to disengage from the conveying drive assembly, and the side wall of the switching block 112 is opposite to the conveying drive assembly. When the material is returned, the conveying drive assembly rotates, and the conveying drive assembly is sequentially transmitted through the second transmission member and the first transmission member, driving the material tray transmission mechanism 500 to rotate, and then friction drives the material tray 10 to rotate, and the consumables are withdrawn and rewound at the same time, and the consumables will pass between the switching block 112 and the conveying drive assembly, and the switching block 112 and the conveying drive assembly will not squeeze the consumables. In some optional embodiments, the side wall of the switching block 112 is also provided with a recess that is circumferentially opposite to the annular recess of the first active member, so that when the consumables are located between the switching block 112 and the conveying drive assembly, they can be under the action of the recess of the switching block 112 and will not move in the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 120, so that when the first active member rotates, it can accurately dock with the consumables. It is worth noting that in the process of switching between the feeding position and the material return position, the second transmission member will move synchronously with the switching block 112, and the second transmission member can roll on the small gear by self-rotation, that is, although the second transmission member is engaged with the small gear, it can be achieved by self-rotation by the second transmission member by rolling on the small gear without driving the small gear to rotate, thereby achieving the process of switching between the feeding position and the material return position, the large gear does not move, and the material tray transmission mechanism 500 will not rotate due to switching.

[0071] In an optional embodiment, the feeding assembly 110 includes an optional implementation of the second action assembly 113 and the first transmission assembly 111, the first transmission assembly 111 includes a first transmission member, a second transmission member, and an intermediate transmission member, the first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the intermediate transmission member are all rotationally connected to the switching block 112, and can be rotationally connected through a bearing, the intermediate transmission member is located between the first transmission member and the second transmission member, and is transmission-connected to the first transmission member and the second transmission member respectively, the first transmission member and the second transmission member respectively corresponding to different axial positions of the first rotating shaft 120, and the first transmission member and the second transmission member correspond to different axial projection positions of the first rotating shaft 120. When the feeding assembly 110 is in the feeding position, the first transmission member and the second transmission member are both disengaged from the conveying drive assembly. When the feeding assembly 110 is in the unloading position, the second transmission member is transmission-connected to the conveying drive assembly, and the first transmission member is transmission-connected to the tray transmission mechanism 500. The action assembly 113 includes a first action member connected to the switching block 112. The first action member, the first transmission member, and the second transmission member correspond to different positions on the circumferential projection of the first rotating shaft 120. When the feed assembly 110 is in the feeding position, the first action member cooperates with the conveyor drive assembly to clamp the consumables at the corresponding position. When the feed assembly 110 is in the unloading position, the switching block 112 faces the conveyor drive assembly, and the consumables move freely between the switching block 112 and the conveyor drive assembly. A detailed description of the operating principle can be found in the aforementioned description of the second action assembly 113 and the first transmission assembly 111, and will not be repeated here.

[0072] It is worth noting that the tray 10 actively rewinds the consumables under the action of the tray transmission mechanism 500, and the consumables will gradually be wound on the center roller and increased. When the conveying drive component and the action component 130 squeeze and push the consumables to retract at a constant speed, that is, under the premise that the conveying drive component rotates at a constant speed, the increase in the amount of consumables on the center roller will lead to a change in the speed of continuing to wind the consumables, resulting in inconsistency between the consumables retracting and rewinding speeds. In order to avoid the consumables being pulled due to the accumulation of consumables on the center roller, the present application sets the ratio of the linear velocity of the contact point between the conveying drive component and the transmission component 111 to the linear velocity of the contact point between the tray transmission mechanism 500 and the tray 10 to be greater than or equal to 0.2, that is, the conveying drive component retracts the material at a faster speed, while the winding speed of the tray 10 is slower, avoiding pulling caused by increased consumable winding. The ratio of the linear velocity of the contact point between the conveying drive component and the transmission component 111 to the linear velocity of the contact point between the tray transmission mechanism 500 and the tray 10 is less than or equal to 5, avoiding the accumulation of consumables caused by too slow a rewinding speed. For example, the ratio of the linear velocity of the contact point between the conveyor drive assembly and the transmission assembly 111 to the linear velocity of the contact point between the tray transmission mechanism 500 and the tray 10 can be 0.2, 1, 3, or 5. The linear velocity ratio can be adjusted by adjusting the outer diameter of the first friction sleeve 523 in contact with the baffle plate on the tray transmission mechanism 500, or the outer diameter of the gear of the transmission assembly or the outer diameter of the gear of the driving shaft assembly.

[0073] The relative positions of the transmission assembly 111 and the action assembly 113 in the circumferential direction of the first rotating shaft 120 can be various and can be set according to the position of the material tray 10. For example, in an optional embodiment in which four feeding assemblies 110 are arranged in groups of two, and the two feeding assemblies 110 in a group are respectively provided with plug-ins 116 that can be plugged into each other, the distance between two adjacent feeding assemblies 110 is less than the preset distance, and then the plug-in 116 is used to limit the mutual plugging. As shown in Figure 6, the transmission assemblies 111 of the two feeding assemblies 110 plugged into each other, that is, the two action assemblies 113 on a group of feeding assemblies 110 are located between the two transmission assemblies 111. In this optional embodiment, the action assembly 113 is away from the center of the material tray 10 in the width direction, so that the consumables of the two adjacent material trays 10 can be close together, which is convenient for the arrangement of the consumable guide block 700 mentioned later, so that the consumable guide block 700 occupies a small space. Alternatively, as shown in FIG7 , two mutually plugged feeding assemblies 110, that is, two transmission assemblies 111 on a set of feeding assemblies 110, are located between two action assemblies 113. This optional embodiment increases the distance between the two action assemblies 113, and can approach or even be equal to the distance between the centers of the corresponding two material trays 10. A single action assembly 113 approaches or even corresponds to the center of the material tray 10 in the width direction, so that the angle of the extension direction of the consumables to the action assembly 113 and the orientation angle of the opening between the two baffles of the material tray 10 are not too different, thereby avoiding the problem of abutment between the baffles when the consumables are less and the consumables affecting the transmission of the consumables.

[0074] In an alternative embodiment, the conveying drive assembly includes a driving shaft assembly 300 and a power drive assembly 400. The driving shaft assembly 300 is disposed opposite to the shift mechanism 100. The power drive assembly 400 is connected to the driving shaft assembly 300 to drive the driving shaft assembly 300 to rotate. The shift mechanism is in transmission connection with the driving shaft assembly 300.

[0075] As shown in FIG14 , the active rotating shaft assembly 300 includes a third rotating shaft 310 and a plurality of pushing gears 320. The pushing gears 320 are sleeved on the third rotating shaft 310 and are used to cooperate with the feeding assembly 110 to extrude the consumables. The point of action on the active rotating shaft assembly 300 in the aforementioned optional embodiment is the pushing gear 320. The side wall of the pushing gear 320 protrudes from the third rotating shaft 310. Then, through the misalignment of the second transmission member and the first transmission member in the axial position of the first rotating shaft 120, when the material is in the unloading position, the second transmission member corresponds to the pushing gear 320 and is in transmission connection with the pushing gear 320. When the material is in the feeding position, the first transmission member and the pushing gear 320 are axially staggered, opposite to the third rotating shaft 310 at a lower position, and the first transmission member is disengaged from the pushing gear 320.

[0076] In an optional embodiment, the feeding assembly 110 further includes an elastic assembly, the elastic assembly is connected to the switching block 112, and the action assembly 113 is connected to the elastic assembly, and the elastic assembly is used to apply an elastic force to the action assembly 113 so that the action assembly 113 moves radially outward from the switching block 112. The elastic assembly can be an integral elastic member, such as an integral foam. Alternatively, the elastic assembly includes an elastic arm and an elastic member, one end of the elastic arm is rotatably connected to the switching block 112, and the other end of the elastic arm is connected to the action assembly 113, and the elastic member is respectively connected to the switching block 112 and the elastic arm. In an optional embodiment in which the action assembly 113 includes a first action member and a second action member, there are two elastic assemblies, which are respectively connected to the first action member and the second action member. The elastic arm and the switching block 112 can be connected by a pin so that the elastic arm can rotate freely. The elastic member can be a spring, and grooves can be respectively provided on the elastic arm and the switching block 112, with the two ends of the spring embedded in the grooves. The setting of the elastic component allows the first and second acting members to be pressed by the consumables, adapting to consumables of different thicknesses, and enables the consumables to be clamped, and cooperates with the active rotating shaft component 300 to prevent the consumables from slipping.

[0077] The tray transmission mechanism 500 is configured to be coupled to the tray 10. In an optional embodiment, the tray transmission mechanism 500 includes a second rotating shaft 510 and a plurality of first roller assemblies. The first roller assemblies are slidably coupled to the second rotating shaft 510 and correspond to the tray 10, and are configured to abut the corresponding positions of the tray 10. The second rotating shaft 510 is fixedly connected to the bracket 600, and the first roller assemblies rotate relative to the second rotating shaft 510 to couple with the tray 10. In an optional embodiment, multiple tray transmission mechanisms 500 are provided, each corresponding to the tray 10. The tray transmission mechanism 500 includes a second rotating shaft 510 and a plurality of first roller assemblies. The first roller assemblies are coupled to the second rotating shaft 510 and are configured to abut the corresponding positions of the tray 10. The second rotating shaft 510 is rotatably coupled to the bracket 600, such as via a bearing 900, and the first roller assemblies are fixedly coupled to the second rotating shaft 510.

[0078] More specifically, as shown in Figures 12-13, the first roller assembly includes a first single roller 521, a toothed roller 522, and a first friction sleeve 523. The first single roller 521 and the toothed roller 522 are both sleeved on the second rotating shaft 510. The first friction sleeve 523 is sleeved on the first single roller 521 and the toothed roller 522. The toothed roller 522 includes transmission teeth 5221, which are located outside the first friction sleeve 523 and are configured to be in transmission connection with the transmission assembly 111. The first friction sleeves 523 on the first single roller 521 and the toothed roller 522 are configured to frictionally abut against the edges of the two baffles of the material tray 10, respectively. The transmission teeth 5221 are configured to engage with the first transmission member, and then, driven by the first transmission member, drive the toothed roller 522 or the material tray transmission mechanism 500 to rotate, thereby driving the material tray 10 to reverse and rewind the consumables.

[0079] In an optional embodiment, in order to ensure that the position of the shift mechanism 100 is stable at any shift position and does not shake or mistakenly enter other shift positions when pulled by external force, the consumable material conveying device also includes a limiting device, and the shift mechanism 100 also includes a shift dial 130, which is coaxially connected to the first rotating shaft 120. The shift dial 130 is provided with a plurality of limiting members in the circumference. When the shift mechanism 100 is in different shift positions, the corresponding limiting members interact with the limiting device to maintain the position of the feeding assembly 110.

[0080] The shift dial 130 can be plugged into the end of the first rotating shaft 120 in an eccentric plug-in manner, and the limiting device can be connected to the bracket 600. Depending on the different limiting devices, the limiting member can interact with the limiting device in a variety of ways, aiming to limit the position of the shift mechanism 100, and when the switching drive assembly 200 drives the shift mechanism 100 to rotate, the shift mechanism 100 can offset the limited rotation. For example, the limiting device includes a mounting seat, an elastic member and a rolling member, the elastic member is connected to the mounting seat, and the elastic member is connected to the rolling member. The elastic member can specifically include a connecting frame and a spring, the connecting frame is connected to the rolling member, the rolling member can be a bearing, and the rolling member is rotatably connected to the connecting frame through a pin. The number of springs can be two, and the springs are respectively connected to the mounting seat and the connecting frame. Alternatively, the elastic member can also be one-piece, such as a whole piece of foam. The limiting member includes a limiting concave surface 131 formed on the circumference of the shift dial 130. The limiting concave surface 131 matches the shape of the circumference of the rolling element. The rolling element is used to spring under the action of the shift dial 130 and interact with the limiting concave surface 131 to limit the position when any feeding assembly 110 is in the feeding and withdrawing position. In the aforementioned optional embodiment including four feeding trays 10, there are eight limiting concave surfaces 131 corresponding to the limiting concave surfaces 131. The eight limiting concave surfaces 131 respectively correspond to the limiting positions of the four feeding assemblies 110 in the feeding position and the withdrawing position.

[0081] In an optional embodiment, the shift mechanism 100 includes, in addition to the aforementioned feed shift position and return shift position, a zero position, the consumables conveying device further includes a position switch, and the shift mechanism 100 further includes an actuating head. When the shift mechanism 100 is in the zero position, the shift mechanism 100 is connected to both the conveying drive assembly and the tray transmission mechanism, or in other words, none of the multiple feed assemblies 110 are in the return position or the feed position. The switching drive assembly 200 is further configured to drive the shift mechanism 100 to the zero position, and the actuating head is configured to interact with the position switch when the shift mechanism 100 moves to the zero position, causing the position switch to emit a zero return signal.

[0082] When the consumable material conveying device is started and operated, the shift mechanism 100 is first driven to move by switching the drive component 200 until a zeroing signal is received. The angle at this time is used as the zero angle. Then, the feeding component 110 can be rotated according to the angle difference between the transmission component 111 and the action component 113 on the feeding component 110 and the action head in the circumferential direction of the first rotating shaft 120, so that the corresponding feeding component 110 is in the feeding and retracting position.

[0083] In an optional embodiment, the shift position also includes an idle position. As shown in Figures 5-6, when the shift mechanism 100 is in the idle position, the shift mechanism 100 is connected to both the conveyor drive assembly and the tray transmission mechanism. In other words, the multiple feed assemblies 110 are not in the unloading position or the feeding position, and the multiple feed assemblies 110 corresponding to the consumables on the tray 10 are movably connected between the feed assemblies 110 and the active rotating shaft assembly 300. The switching drive assembly 200 is also used to drive the shift mechanism 100 to move to the idle position.

[0084] When the shift mechanism 100 is in the idle position, it can be seen that there is no interaction between the consumable material conveying device and the consumable material. The consumable material can be regarded as independent and can be used in conjunction with other mechanisms to achieve other feeding methods. When the shift mechanism 100 rotates from the zero position to the idle position, the rotation angle can be 180 degrees.

[0085] In the embodiment in which there are four feeding components 110, and in the axial projection on the first rotating shaft, the angle a between the first transmission members of two adjacent feeding components 110 is 40 degrees, and the total angle of the range of the four first transmission members is 120 degrees, the position of the working head in the circumferential direction of the first rotating shaft 120 is located between the first transmission member and the second transmission member adjacent to the first rotating shaft 120 in the circumferential direction, and the angle between the first transmission member and the second transmission member adjacent to the first rotating shaft 120 in the circumferential direction of the first rotating shaft 120 is 60 degrees, then the angle between the working head and one of the adjacent first transmission member and the second transmission member in the circumferential direction of the first rotating shaft 120 is 30 degrees. The above-mentioned setting makes the shift dial 130 have a shape as shown in Figure 10, in which the limiting concave surfaces 131 are evenly distributed around the shift dial 130, and the limiting concave surfaces 131 are the limiting concave surfaces 131a corresponding to the eight feeding and withdrawing positions, the limiting concave surfaces 131b corresponding to the vacant positions, and the limiting concave surfaces 131c corresponding to the zero position, for a total of ten limiting concave surfaces 131.

[0086] The switching drive assembly 200 can use a motor to directly drive the linkage member to rotate, or the switching drive assembly 200 includes a first driving member, a first main driving wheel, a first synchronous belt and a first slave driving wheel 240. The first main driving wheel is connected to the output end of the first driving member, the first slave driving wheel 240 is connected to the linkage member, and the first synchronous belt is wound around the first main driving wheel and the first slave driving wheel 240. The first driving member is used to drive the linkage member to rotate, driving any feeding assembly 110 to move to the feeding and withdrawing position. Similarly, the power drive assembly 400 includes a second driving member 410, a second main driving wheel 420, a second synchronous belt 430 and a second slave driving wheel 440. The second main driving wheel 420 is connected to the output end of the second driving member 410, the second slave driving wheel 440 is connected to the active shaft assembly 300, the second synchronous belt 430 is wound around the second main driving wheel 420 and the second slave driving wheel 440, and the second driving member 410 is used to drive the active shaft assembly 300 to rotate to drive the consumables to move.

[0087] The first drive member and the second drive member 410 can both be motors. The first slave drive wheel 240 can be disposed at an axially intermediate position of the first rotating shaft 120, and the second slave drive wheel 440 can be disposed at an axially intermediate position of the active rotating shaft assembly 300. This allows the shift mechanism 100 and the active rotating shaft assembly 300 to be driven from the intermediate position, thereby avoiding the large space occupied by the drive members due to unilateral drive, and also avoiding the increased torque and heavy driving burden caused by the excessive axial length of the shift mechanism 100 and the active rotating shaft assembly 300.

[0088] In an optional embodiment, the consumable material conveying device also includes a first blockage detection member 830, the active rotating shaft assembly 300 includes a third rotating shaft 310 and a second blockage detection member 330, the second blockage detection member 330 is connected to the third rotating shaft 310, and is opposite to the first blockage detection member 830, the second blockage detection member 330 is used to rotate synchronously with the third rotating shaft 310, and the first blockage detection member 830 is used to detect the moving state of the second blockage detection member 330, so as to send a blockage signal when the second blockage detection member 330 moves abnormally.

[0089] The second material blockage detection member 330 can be connected to the end of the third rotating shaft 310, including a center plate of a disc-shaped structure and a grid plate extending to one side of the center plate around the center plate, with notches 331 intermittently provided on the grid plate. The first material blockage detection member 830 can be a photoelectric switch, and the grid plate is arranged in the detection slot of the photoelectric switch. During the feeding or unloading process, the active rotating shaft assembly 300 will drive the consumables to move, and the grid plate will regularly block the light of the photoelectric switch. When the consumables are blocked, resistance will be generated to the rotation of the active rotating shaft assembly 300, resulting in abnormal rotation of the active rotating shaft assembly 300. The regularity of the grid plate blocking the light of the photoelectric switch will change, such as slowing down, or continuously blocking or continuously not blocking. In this way, it can be determined that a material blockage has occurred, and a material blockage signal can be sent to the controller to generate a prompt message.

[0090] In an optional embodiment, the consumable material conveying device also includes a plurality of consumable material guide blocks 700 , which correspond to the feeding assembly 110 . The consumable material guide blocks 700 are provided with consumable material through holes 710 , which are used to pass the consumable material on the material tray 10 .

[0091] As shown in Figure 3, the consumable guide block 700 may specifically include an upper block 730 and a lower block 720, and corresponding consumable through holes 710 are provided on the upper block 730 and the lower block 720. The upper block 730 and the lower block 720 are respectively located on the upper and lower sides between the feeding assembly 110 and the active rotating shaft assembly 300, and are used to limit the position of the consumables and play a role in guiding the consumables. In an optional embodiment in which the consumable conveying device includes a bracket 600 and the bracket 600 includes an inner cavity, the bracket 600 is provided with relative upper and lower through holes, the upper block 730 is connected to the top wall of the bracket 600, and the consumable through hole 710 of the upper block 730 corresponds to the upper through hole. The lower block 720 is connected to the bottom wall of the bracket 600, and the consumable through hole 710 of the lower block 720 corresponds to the lower through hole. The consumable material guide block 700 may correspond to the feeding assembly 110 , or the same consumable material guide block 700 may be provided for two adjacent feeding assemblies 110 , and two consumable material through holes 710 are required to be provided on the consumable material guide block 700 .

[0092] In an optional embodiment, as shown in Figure 21, the consumable material conveying device also includes a consumable material detection switch 840, which corresponds to the feeding component 110. The consumable material detection switch 840 is used to sense the consumable material. The consumable material detection switch 840 is used to generate a consumable material in place signal when the consumable material passes between the feeding component 110 and the active rotating shaft component 300.

[0093] The consumable material detection switch 840 can be disposed on the consumable material guide block 700, such as within the upper block 730. The consumable material detection switch 840 can be a touch switch, with the spring contact of the consumable material detection switch 840 protruding from the inner wall of the consumable material through-hole 710. When consumable material passes through the consumable material through-hole 710, or when consumable material is located between the feed assembly 110 and the active shaft assembly 300, the consumable material detection switch 840 will generate an in-position signal, thereby realizing a material break detection function and preventing the user from forgetting to insert a consumable material and starting printing directly.

[0094] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a material box, comprising any of the aforementioned consumable material conveying devices 1000 and a main shell 20 , wherein the consumable material conveying device is connected to the main shell 20 , and the main shell 20 is also used to connect to the material tray 10 .

[0095] The main housing 20 can be an open housing, with the tray 10 and consumables conveying device 1000 exposed, providing bottom support. Alternatively, in an alternative embodiment, the main housing 20 includes a storage space, within which both the tray 10 and the consumables conveying device 1000 are located. This provides a more stable position between the tray 10 and the active tray roller 30, and eliminates the need to install the consumables conveying device 1000 based on the position of the tray 10. The tray 10 and consumables conveying device 1000 can be integrated into the main housing 20, allowing for a variety of placement options and configurations.

[0096] The main shell 20 may further include a bottom shell 21 and an upper shell 22 . The upper shell 22 is used to cooperate with the bottom shell 21 to enclose a receiving space. The consumable material conveying device and the material tray 10 are both connected to the bottom shell 21 .

[0097] The upper shell 22 and the bottom shell 21 may be rotatably connected. In the optional embodiment where the consumables delivery device 1000 includes a bracket 600, the bracket 600 may be connected to the bottom shell 21, for example, by being integrally formed. The upper shell 22 can be opened and closed relative to the bottom shell 21 to facilitate access to and placement of the material tray 10. It will be appreciated that the bottom shell 21 has a consumables outlet for delivering consumables to the print head.

[0098] In an optional embodiment, the material box further includes a tray passive roller 30. The tray passive roller 30 is primarily used to support the material tray 10. For example, the tray passive roller 30 is connected to the main housing 20 and is fixed. The tray passive roller 30 is movably connected to the material tray 10, such as being inserted into the center roller of the material tray 10. When the active tray roller 30 rotates, the material tray 10 will rotate relative to the tray passive roller 30. Alternatively, at least a portion of the tray passive roller 30 is driven to rotate by the material tray 10, which will reduce the rotational resistance of the material tray 10. For example, the tray passive roller 30 includes a fourth rotating shaft and a plurality of second roller assemblies. The second roller assemblies are slidably connected to the fourth rotating shaft, and the second roller assemblies correspond to the material tray 10 and are used to abut the material tray 10. When the material tray 10 is fed or unloaded, the second roller assemblies will rotate relative to the fourth rotating shaft following the rotation of the material tray 10. Alternatively, there may be a plurality of passive rollers 30 for the material tray, each corresponding to the material tray 10. The passive rollers 30 are rotatably connected to the main housing 20, such as by sliding. The passive rollers 30 include a fourth rotating shaft and a second roller assembly. The second roller assembly is fixedly sleeved on the fourth rotating shaft. The second roller assembly is configured to abut the material tray 10. When the material tray 10 is fed or unloaded, the fourth rotating shaft rotates relative to the main housing 20 following the rotation of the material tray 10.

[0099] The second roller assembly includes a second single roller 32 and a plurality of second friction sleeves 33. The second single roller 32 is sleeved on the fourth rotating shaft. The second friction sleeves 33 are sleeved on the second single roller 32. The second friction sleeves 33 are used to abut the material tray 10. The second friction sleeves 33 and the consumables conveying device are used to abut the material tray 10 from different directions at the bottom of the material tray 10. For example, the second roller assembly and the first roller assembly respectively abut the material tray 10 from different sides near the bottom of the material tray 10 at an angle below.

[0100] In an optional embodiment, the material box further includes a drying element 40 , which is connected to the main housing 20 and is used to dry the consumables on the material tray 10 .

[0101] The drying unit 40 may include a fan to blow air toward the material tray, thereby drying the consumables.

[0102] In an optional embodiment, the material box further includes a consumable identification component 50 , which is opposite to the identification label on the material tray 10 . The consumable identification component 50 is used to identify the identification label and generate identification information related to the identification label.

[0103] The consumable identification element 50 can utilize contactless radio frequency identification (RFID), such as NFC (Near Field Communication). The consumable identification element 50 can be positioned within the housing 20 and between adjacent trays 10. For example, in an optional embodiment with four trays 10, the consumable identification element 50 is positioned between the first and second trays 10, and between the third and fourth trays 10. The trays 10 are provided with identification tags that can be recognized by the consumable identification element 50. The consumable type, such as color or material, of the consumables on the trays 10 can then be detected, allowing the consumables to be switched based on the position of the trays 10.

[0104] In another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a 3D printer comprising any of the aforementioned consumable material delivery devices 1000 or any of the aforementioned material cartridges. The advantages of a 3D printer comprising any of the aforementioned consumable material delivery devices 1000 or material cartridges are not further described here.

[0105] The 3D printer also includes a main support frame, a power structure, a print head, and a printing platform. The print head and printing platform are both connected to the power structure and slidably connected to the main support frame. Driven by the power structure, the print head and printing platform move relative to each other to print. The consumables delivery device 1000 or the material box can be connected to the main support frame, which is secured with additional fixings.

[0106] The present application also provides a complete embodiment of a material box, including a complete embodiment of the aforementioned consumable material conveying device 1000, and a main shell 20, wherein the consumable material conveying device is connected to the main shell 20, and the main shell 20 is also used to accommodate the material tray 10. The material box further includes: a drying part 40, which is connected to the main shell 20 and is used to dry the consumables on the material tray 10. The material box further includes: a consumable material identification part 50, which is connected to the main shell 20 and is opposite to the identification label on the material tray 10, and the consumable material identification part 50 is used to read the information of the identification label. The main shell 20 includes a bottom shell 21 and an upper shell 22, and the upper shell 22 is used to cooperate with the bottom shell 21 to enclose a storage space. The consumable material conveying device and the material tray 10 are both connected to the bottom shell 21 and are located in the storage space.

[0107] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any modifications or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A consumable material conveying device, characterized in that: The consumable material conveying device (1000) comprises: A material tray transmission mechanism (500), used to drive the material tray at the corresponding position to rotate; A shift mechanism (100) comprising at least two shift positions; A conveying drive assembly, used to provide feeding power; A switching drive assembly (200) for driving the shift mechanism (100) to switch between different shift positions; When the shift mechanism (100) is located at the first shift position, it is respectively connected to the conveying drive assembly and the material tray transmission mechanism (500) corresponding to the first position, so as to drive the material tray corresponding to the first position to move; When the shift mechanism (100) is located at the second shift position, it is respectively connected in transmission with the conveying drive assembly and the material tray transmission mechanism (500) corresponding to the second position, so as to drive the material tray corresponding to the second position to move.

2. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the shift mechanism (100) is located at the third shift position, the shift mechanism (100) cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to clamp the consumable at the first position, so that the consumable at the first position moves; When the shift mechanism (100) is located at the fourth shift position, the shift mechanism (100) cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to clamp the consumable material at the second position, so that the consumable material at the second position moves.

3. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The shift mechanism (100) comprises a linkage member and at least two feeding assemblies (110), wherein the at least two feeding assemblies (110) are connected to the linkage member, and the feeding assemblies (110) correspond to the material tray; The first shift position includes a material return shift position, the second shift position includes a material return shift position, the position of the feeding assembly (110) includes a material return position, when the shift mechanism (100) is in the material return shift position, one of the at least two feeding assemblies (110) is in the material return position, and when the feeding assembly (110) is in the material return position, the feeding assembly (110) is in transmission connection with a conveying drive assembly and a material tray transmission mechanism (500) at a corresponding position.

4. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The material tray transmission mechanism (500) and the shift mechanism (100) are arranged opposite to each other, the shift mechanism (100) is located between the material tray transmission mechanism (500) and the conveying drive assembly, and the material tray transmission mechanism (500) is used to abut against a material tray at a corresponding position.

5. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The linkage member comprises a first rotating shaft (120), the feeding assembly (110) comprises a switching block (112) and a transmission assembly (111), the switching block (112) is connected to the first rotating shaft (120), and the transmission assembly (111) is connected to the switching block (112); The transmission components (111) on the at least two feeding components (110) have different projection positions in the axial direction of the first rotating shaft (120); The transmission assembly protrudes from the circumferential side wall of the switching block (112); When the feeding assembly (110) is in the material-returning position, the transmission assembly (111) is in transmission connection with the conveying drive assembly and the material tray transmission mechanism (500).

6. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The ratio of the linear velocity of the contact point between the conveying drive component and the transmission component (111) to the linear velocity of the contact point between the material tray transmission mechanism (500) and the material tray (10) is greater than or equal to 0.2 and less than or equal to 5.

7. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The third shift position includes a feed shift position, the fourth shift position includes a feed shift position, the position of the feed assembly (110) also includes a feed position, and when the shift mechanism (100) is in the feed shift position, one of the at least two feed assemblies (110) is in the feed position; When the feeding assembly (110) is in the feeding position, the feeding assembly (110) cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to squeeze the consumables of the corresponding material tray, so as to push the consumables to feed when the conveying drive assembly rotates; the transmission assembly (111) is disengaged from the transmission of the conveying drive assembly, and / or the transmission assembly (111) is disengaged from the transmission of the material tray transmission mechanism (500); When the feeding assembly (110) is in the material-returning position, the feeding assembly (110) cooperates with the conveying drive assembly to squeeze the consumables on the corresponding material tray (10), so as to push the consumables to be returned when the conveying drive assembly rotates; Alternatively, when the feeding assembly (110) is in the material-returning position, there is a gap between the feeding assembly (110) and the conveying drive assembly for the consumable material to pass through.

8. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The feeding assembly (110) further comprises an acting assembly (113), wherein the acting assembly (113) is connected to the switching block (112) and protrudes from the circumferential side wall of the switching block (112); the acting assembly (113) on the at least two feeding assemblies (110) has different projection positions in the axial direction of the first rotating shaft (120); and the acting assembly (113) is used to cooperate with the conveying drive assembly to extrude the consumable material.

9. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The feeding assembly (110) further comprises an elastic assembly, wherein the elastic assembly is connected to the switching block (112), the action assembly (113) is connected to the elastic assembly, and the elastic assembly is used to apply an elastic force to the action assembly (113) so as to cause the action assembly (113) to move radially outward from the switching block (112); The elastic component comprises an elastic arm and an elastic member, one end of the elastic arm is rotatably connected to the switching block (112), the other end of the elastic arm is connected to the action component (113), and the elastic member is respectively connected to the switching block (112) and the elastic arm; The distance from the elastic member to the rotational connection between the elastic arm and the switching block (112) is greater than the distance from the action component (113) to the rotational connection between the elastic arm and the switching block (112).

10. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The transmission assembly (111) comprises at least a first transmission member, a second transmission member and an intermediate transmission member, the first transmission member, the second transmission member and the intermediate transmission member are rotationally connected to the switching block (112), the intermediate transmission member is located between the first transmission member and the second transmission member, and is transmission-connected to the first transmission member and the second transmission member respectively, the first transmission member and the second transmission member have different projection positions corresponding to the axial direction of the first rotating shaft (120), and the first transmission member and the second transmission member have different projection positions on the axial direction of the first rotating shaft (120); When the feeding assembly (110) is in the material unloading position, the second transmission member is in transmission connection with the conveying drive assembly, and the first transmission member is in transmission connection with the material tray transmission mechanism (500); when the feeding assembly (110) is in the material feeding position, both the first transmission member and the second transmission member are disengaged from the conveying drive assembly.

11. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The tray transmission mechanism (500) and the conveying drive assembly are respectively located on two radial sides of the shift mechanism (100), and the rotation axes of the first transmission member, the second transmission member and the intermediate transmission member of the same feeding assembly (110) are located in the same plane.

12. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The action component (113) comprises a first action member and a second action member, the first action member corresponds to a projection position of the first transmission member on the axial direction of the first rotating shaft (120), and the second action member corresponds to a projection position of the second transmission member on the axial direction of the first rotating shaft (120); when the feeding component (110) is in the feeding position, the first action member cooperates with the conveying drive component to clamp the consumables at the corresponding position; when the feeding component (110) is in the unloading position, the second action member cooperates with the conveying drive component to clamp the consumables at the corresponding position; Alternatively, the acting component (113) includes a first acting member, and the first acting member, the first transmission member and the second transmission member have different projection positions on the axial direction of the first rotating shaft (120). When the feeding component (110) is in the feeding position, the first acting member cooperates with the conveying drive component to clamp the consumables at the corresponding position. When the feeding component (110) is in the unloading position, the switching block (112) is opposite to the conveying drive component, and the consumables are movably connected between the switching block (112) and the conveying drive component.

13. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The transmission assembly (111) comprises a first transmission member and a second transmission member, the first transmission member and the second transmission member are both rotationally connected to the switching block (112), the first transmission member comprises a pinion and a gear, the pinion and the second transmission member are transmission-connected; The large gear is coaxially arranged with the first rotating shaft (120) and is connected to the material tray transmission mechanism (500); when the feeding assembly (110) is in the feeding position, the second transmission member is disengaged from the conveying drive assembly; when the feeding assembly (110) is in the unloading position, the second transmission member is in transmission connection with the conveying drive assembly.

14. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 13, characterized in that: The action component (113) comprises a first action member and a second action member, the projection positions of the first action member and the second action member on the axial direction of the first rotating shaft (120) are different, the projection positions of the second action member and the second transmission member on the axial direction of the first rotating shaft (120) correspond to each other, when the feeding component (110) is in the feeding position, the first action member cooperates with the conveying drive component to clamp the consumables at the corresponding position, and when the feeding component (110) is in the unloading position, the second action member cooperates with the conveying drive component to clamp the consumables at the corresponding position; Alternatively, the acting component (113) includes a first acting member, and the first acting member and the second transmission member have different axial projection positions corresponding to the first rotating shaft (120), and when the feeding component (110) is in the feeding position, the first acting member cooperates with the conveying drive component to clamp the consumables at the corresponding position.

15. [Corrected 22.10.2024 in accordance with Rule 91] The consumable material conveying device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The distance between at least two adjacent feeding components (110) is less than a preset distance, and they are mutually inserted and limited; The two transmission components (111) on the two mutually plugged feeding components (110) are located between the two action components (113).

16. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material tray transmission mechanism (500) comprises a second rotating shaft (510) and a first roller assembly, wherein the first roller assembly is rotatably sleeved on the second rotating shaft (510), and the first roller assembly corresponds to the material tray (10), and the first roller assembly is used to abut against the material tray (10) at a corresponding position; Alternatively, the number of the material tray transmission mechanisms (500) is multiple, and the material tray transmission mechanisms (500) correspond to the material tray (10). The material tray transmission mechanism (500) includes a second rotating shaft (510) and a first roller assembly, and the first roller assembly is fixedly sleeved on the second rotating shaft (510), and the first roller assembly is used to abut the material tray (10) at a corresponding position.

17. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 16, characterized in that: The first roller assembly comprises a first single roller (521), a toothed roller (522) and a first friction sleeve (523); the first single roller (521) and the toothed roller (522) are both sleeved on the second rotating shaft (510); the first single roller (521) and the toothed roller (522) are both sleeved with the first friction sleeve (523); the toothed roller (522) comprises a transmission tooth (5221); the transmission tooth (5221) is located outside the first friction sleeve (523); and the transmission tooth (5221) is used for transmission connection with the transmission assembly (111).

18. [Corrected 22.10.2024 in accordance with Rule 91] The consumable material conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The consumable material conveying device also includes: Limiting device; The switching drive assembly (200) is used to drive the gear shifting mechanism (100) to rotate; The shift mechanism (100) further comprises a shift dial (130), the shift dial (130) being coaxially connected to the first rotating shaft (120), a plurality of limiting members being provided on the circumference of the shift dial (130), and when the shift mechanism (100) is in different shift positions, the corresponding limiting members interact with the limiting device to maintain the position of the shift mechanism (100).

19. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shift position also includes an idle position. When the shift mechanism (100) is in the idle position, the shift mechanism (100) is not connected to the conveying drive assembly and the tray transmission mechanism (500), and the consumables of the plurality of trays (10) are movably connected between the shift mechanism (100) and the conveying drive assembly. The switching drive assembly (200) is also used to drive the shift mechanism (100) to move to the idle position.

20. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The shift mechanism (100) further comprises a plurality of limit blocks (140), wherein the limit blocks (140) are connected to the linkage member and are used to limit the feeding assembly (110); And / or, the feeding assembly (110) comprises a switching block (112), a limiting snap-in (121) is provided on the linkage member, a limiting snap-in surface is provided on the perforated inner wall of the switching block (112), the switching block (112) is connected to the linkage member, the limiting snap-in (121) interacts with the limiting snap-in surface to fix the feeding assembly (110) and the linkage member; And / or, the feeding assembly (110) comprises a switching block (112) and a plug-in (116), the plug-in (116) is connected to the switching block (112), and the plug-ins (116) of at least two adjacent feeding assemblies (110) are connected to each other.

21. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conveying drive assembly comprises a driving shaft assembly (300) and a power drive assembly (400), wherein the driving shaft assembly (300) and the shift mechanism (100) are arranged in parallel, and the power drive assembly (400) is connected to the driving shaft assembly (300) and is used to drive the driving shaft assembly (300) to rotate; The shift mechanism (100) is transmission-connected to the active rotating shaft assembly (300).

22. [Corrected 22.10.2024 in accordance with Rule 91] The consumable material conveying device according to claim 21, characterized in that: The active rotating shaft assembly (300) comprises a third rotating shaft (310) and a plurality of pushing gears (320), wherein the pushing gears (320) are sleeved on the third rotating shaft (310), and the pushing gears (320) are used to cooperate with the feeding assembly (110) to extrude the consumable material.

23. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 21, characterized in that: The consumable material conveying device also includes: A first material blockage detection member (830), the active rotating shaft assembly (300) comprises a third rotating shaft (310) and a second material blockage detection member (330), the second material blockage detection member (330) is connected to the third rotating shaft (310) and is opposite to the first material blockage detection member (830), the second material blockage detection member (330) is used to rotate synchronously with the third rotating shaft (310), and the first material blockage detection member (830) is used to detect the moving state of the second material blockage detection member (330) so as to send a material blockage signal when the second material blockage detection member (330) moves abnormally.

24. The consumable material conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The consumable material conveying device also includes: A bracket (600), the shift mechanism (100) and the conveying drive assembly are both rotatably connected to the bracket (600); The consumable material conveying device further comprises a plurality of bearings (900), and the shift mechanism (100) and the conveying drive assembly are rotatably connected to the bracket (600) via at least one of the bearings (900).

25. [Corrected 22.10.2024 in accordance with Rule 91] The consumable material conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The consumable material conveying device also includes: A plurality of consumable material guide blocks (700), wherein the consumable material guide blocks (700) correspond to the material feeding assembly (110), and consumable material through holes (710) are provided on the consumable material guide blocks (700), and the consumable material through holes (710) are used to pass through the consumable materials on the material tray (10).

26. [Corrected 22.10.2024 in accordance with Rule 91] The consumable material conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The consumable material conveying device also includes: A consumable material detection switch (840) is used to generate a consumable material arrival signal when consumable material passes between the feeding assembly (110) and the conveying drive assembly.

27. A material box, characterized in that: A consumable material conveying device (1000) comprising any one of claims 1 to 26, and A main housing (20), the consumable material conveying device is connected to the main housing (20), and the main housing (20) is also used to accommodate the material tray (10).

28. The cartridge according to claim 27, characterized in that The material box also includes: A drying element (40), the drying element (40) being connected to the main housing (20) and being used for drying the consumables on the material tray (10).

29. The material box according to claim 27, characterized in that The material box also includes: A consumable material identification component (50), the consumable material identification component (50) is connected to the main housing (20) and is opposite to the identification label on the material tray (10), and the consumable material identification component (50) is used to read the information of the identification label.

30. The cartridge according to claim 27, characterized in that: The main shell (20) comprises a bottom shell (21) and an upper shell (22), wherein the upper shell (22) is used to cooperate with the bottom shell (21) to enclose the accommodating space, and the consumable material conveying device and the material tray (10) are both connected to the bottom shell (21) and are located in the accommodating space.

31. A 3D printer, characterized in that: It comprises a consumable material conveying device as described in any one of claims 1 to 26 above, or comprises a material box as described in any one of claims 27 to 30 above.

Images