Auxiliary cavity temperature regulation module and 3D printer

Abstract

The present application relates to an auxiliary cavity temperature regulation module and a 3D printer. The auxiliary cavity temperature regulation module comprises: an air duct; a heater fixed to the air duct; and a fan fixed to the air duct, wherein the fan is configured to drive air to form an airflow, which flows through the heater and is discharged through the air duct; when the heater is in operation, the airflow discharged through the air duct is a first airflow, the first airflow being configured to increase the cavity temperature; and when the heater is not in operation, the airflow discharged through the air duct is a second airflow, the second airflow being configured to decrease the cavity temperature.

Description

Cavity auxiliary temperature control module and 3D printer

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202420642513.1 filed on March 29, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of 3D printing, and in particular to a cavity auxiliary temperature control module and a 3D printer. Background Art

[0004] Driven by the intelligent advancement of computer digital technology, the application of 3D printing technology is expanding. Among these technologies, 3D printing through Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is gaining increasing attention. 3D printing technology uses adhesive materials such as powdered metal or plastic as printing materials. By utilizing the hot melt and adhesive properties of the printing materials, the printing materials are heated to a molten state within an extruder. Under program control, the extruder moves horizontally and vertically along the contour of the model, extruding the printing material onto the print platform module. After extrusion, the printing material cools and solidifies, bonding to the surrounding material. Each layer is built upon the previous layer, until the model is completed layer by layer.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present application provides a cavity auxiliary temperature regulation module, which can both increase the temperature of the cavity and reduce the temperature of the cavity, and can not only effectively regulate the temperature in the cavity but also save space.

[0007] The cavity auxiliary temperature control module provided in this application includes:

[0008] air duct;

[0009] a heater fixed to the air duct; and

[0010] a fan, fixed to the air duct;

[0011] wherein the fan is configured to drive air to form a wind flow, and the wind flow flows through the heater and is discharged from the air duct;

[0012] When the heater is working, the airflow discharged from the air duct is a first airflow, and the first airflow is configured to increase the temperature of the cavity;

[0013] When the heater is not working, the airflow discharged from the air duct is a second airflow, and the second airflow is configured to cool the cavity.

[0014] Furthermore, the heater and the fan are respectively detachably connected to the air duct.

[0015] Furthermore, the heater is connected to the air duct via a first clamping member and / or a first threaded member;

[0016] The fan is connected to the air duct via a second clamping member and / or a second threaded member.

[0017] Furthermore, the air duct is arranged vertically;

[0018] The fan is fixed to the lower end of the air duct;

[0019] The wind flow is discharged from the upper end of the air duct.

[0020] Furthermore, the air outlet of the air duct is located on the side of the air duct.

[0021] Furthermore, the air duct is formed by connecting a first shell portion and a second shell portion provided at the lower end of the first shell portion;

[0022] The heater is provided at the inner upper end of the second shell portion and is confined between the first shell portion and the second shell portion.

[0023] Furthermore, the second shell portion has two limiting grooves symmetrically opened at the upper end of the second shell portion;

[0024] The heater includes a heating portion, an electrical connection portion, and two support portions, wherein the two support portions are respectively fixed to both ends of the heating portion and respectively pass through the two limiting grooves, and the electrical connection portion passes through one of the support portions and is electrically connected to the heating portion;

[0025] The cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment module further includes a heat insulation block sleeved outside the support portion. The heat insulation block is confined in the limiting groove and fixed to the second shell portion.

[0026] Furthermore, the heater is a PTC heater.

[0027] The present application provides a 3D printer, comprising any one of the above-mentioned cavity auxiliary temperature control modules;

[0028] The cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment module is fixed in the cavity of the 3D printer.

[0029] Furthermore, the 3D printer includes two of the cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment modules;

[0030] The two cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment modules are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the cavity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG1 is an exploded view of a cavity auxiliary temperature control module according to one or more embodiments of the present application;

[0032] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment module shown in FIG1 ;

[0033] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of the cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment module shown in FIG2 with the first shell portion removed;

[0034] FIG4 is a front view of the cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment module shown in FIG1 ;

[0035] FIG5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG4 ;

[0036] FIG6 is a right side view of FIG4;

[0037] FIG7 is a BB cross-sectional view of FIG6;

[0038] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a 3D printer according to one or more embodiments of the present application;

[0039] Among them: 1000-printer (100-cavity auxiliary temperature control module (110-air duct (111-air outlet of air duct, 112-air inlet of air duct, 113-air cavity, 114-first shell, 115-second shell (1151-limiting groove, 1152-support rib)), 120-heater (121-heating part, 122-electrical connection part, 123-support part), 130-fan (131-air outlet of fan), 140-thermal insulation block, 150-gasket), 200-cavity, 300-printing platform module). DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] To facilitate understanding of the present application, a more comprehensive description of the present application will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present application. However, the present application may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the disclosure of the present application.

[0041] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being “fixed to” another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is referred to as being “connected to” another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element.

[0042] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms used herein in the specification of this application are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0043] Because different printing materials require different molding temperatures, if the molding temperature cannot be met, the final molding effect of the printed material will be affected. Therefore, the fused deposition model printer needs to have both a heat dissipation module and a heating module to regulate the cavity temperature of the device. However, if both the heat dissipation module and the heating module are installed in the printer, they will take up too much space and affect the layout of other structures.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 8. The cavity auxiliary temperature control module 100 of the embodiment of the present application can be installed in the cavity 200 of the 3D printer 1000 to adjust the temperature of the cavity 200 of the 3D printer 1000. Please refer to Figures 1 and 2. The cavity auxiliary temperature control module 100 includes: an air duct 110, a heater 120 and a fan 130. The heater 120 is fixed to the air duct 110. The fan 130 is fixed to the air duct 110. Among them, the fan 130 can drive air to form a wind flow. The wind flow passes through the heater 120 and is discharged from the air duct 110. When it is necessary to heat the cavity 200, the heater 120 can be operated. At this time, the wind flow discharged from the air duct 110 is the first wind flow. In other words, the first wind flow is the wind flow heated by the heater 120. The first wind flow can heat the cavity 200 and increase the temperature of the cavity 200. When the cavity 200 needs to be cooled, the heater 120 can be stopped. At this time, the airflow discharged from the air duct 110 is the second airflow. In other words, the second airflow is the airflow that has not been heated by the heater 120 and can cool the cavity 200.

[0045] In some examples, the air driven by the fan 130 may be the air in the cavity 200 . That is, the fan 130 may drive the air in the cavity 200 into the cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment module 100 , and then discharge the first airflow or the second airflow into the cavity 200 .

[0046] In other examples, the air driven by the fan 130 may also be air outside the cavity 200. That is, the fan 130 may drive the air outside the cavity 200 into the cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment module 100, and then discharge the first airflow or the second airflow into the cavity 200.

[0047] The cavity-assisted temperature control module 100 of the present application embodiment includes an air duct 110, and a heater 120 and a fan 130, respectively fixed to the air duct 110. The fan 130 drives air to form a wind flow, which flows through the heater 120 and is then discharged from the air duct 110. When the heater 120 is operating, the wind flow discharged from the air duct 110 is a first wind flow heated by the heater 120, which can increase the temperature of the cavity 200. When the heater 120 is not operating, the wind flow discharged from the air duct 110 is a second wind flow not heated by the heater 120, which can cool the cavity 200. The cavity-assisted temperature control module 100 combines heating and cooling functions, not only effectively regulating the temperature within the cavity 200, but also saving space and facilitating assembly. Furthermore, after the fan 130 drives the air to form the wind flow, the wind flow then flows through the heater 120, which not only protects the fan 130 and extends the service life of the cavity-assisted temperature control module 100, but also improves heating efficiency.

[0048] The heater 120 and the fan 130 can be detachably connected to the air duct 110 , respectively, to facilitate assembly and disassembly, thereby reducing production costs.

[0049] The heater 120 is connected to the air duct 110 via a first clamping member (not shown) and / or a first screw member (not shown).

[0050] It is understood that, in some examples, the heater 120 can be connected to the air duct 110 via a first clamping member. In some examples, the heater 120 can be connected to the air duct 110 via a first screw member. In some examples, the heater 120 can be connected to the air duct 110 via a first clamping member and a first screw member, respectively.

[0051] The fan 130 is connected to the air duct 110 via a second clamping member (not shown) and / or a second threaded member (not shown).

[0052] It is understood that, in some examples, the fan 130 can be connected to the air duct 110 via a second clip. In some examples, the fan 130 can be connected to the air duct 110 via a second screw. In some examples, the fan 130 can be connected to the air duct 110 via a second clip and a second screw, respectively.

[0053] The above-mentioned first clamping member, second clamping member, first threaded member, and second threaded member are all prior art. The structures of the first clamping member and the second clamping member may be the same or different. The structures of the first threaded member and the second threaded member may be the same or different. As an example, the first clamping member may be a buckle. As an example, the first threaded member may be a bolt and a nut that fit together. The specific structures of the first clamping member, the second clamping member, the first threaded member, and the second threaded member are not limited here, and therefore will not be described in detail.

[0054] The air duct 110 can be arranged vertically, as shown in FIG2 . The fan 130 can be fixed to the lower end of the air duct 110 . The airflow can be discharged from the upper end of the air duct 110 . The vertical arrangement of the air duct 110 and the discharge of the airflow from the upper end of the air duct 110 facilitates the smooth flow of the first airflow heated by the heater 120 out of the air duct 110 and toward the print platform module 300 . Furthermore, since the density of hot air is lower than that of cold air, it can be understood that within the cavity 200, the temperature of the air at the lower end of the cavity 200 is lower than the temperature of the air at the upper end of the cavity 200. In other words, the air at the lower end of the cavity 200 is cooler, while the air at the upper end of the cavity 200 is warmer. When the air driven by the fan 130 is the air inside the cavity 200, since the fan 130 is located at the lower end of the air duct 110, the fan 130 can drive the cooler air at the lower end of the cavity 200.

[0055] When the heater 120 is working, the cavity auxiliary temperature control module 100 drives the air with lower temperature at the lower end of the cavity 200 to form a wind flow. After the wind flow is heated by the heater 120, it forms a first wind flow with higher temperature. After the first wind flow is discharged to the upper end of the cavity 200 through the cavity auxiliary temperature control module 100, it can more effectively increase the temperature inside the cavity 200.

[0056] When the heater 120 is not working, the cavity auxiliary temperature control module 100 drives the lower temperature air at the lower end of the cavity 200 to form a wind flow. The wind flow is not heated by the heater 120. At this time, the cavity auxiliary temperature control module 100 discharges a second wind flow with a lower temperature, which can cool the higher temperature air at the upper end of the cavity 200.

[0057] The air outlet 111 of the air duct 110 is located at the upper end of the air duct 110, and the air inlet 112 of the air duct 110 is located at the lower end of the air duct 110, please refer to Figure 7. The air outlet 131 of the fan 130 can be connected to the air inlet 112 of the air duct 110. The heater 120 can be connected to the air duct 110.

[0058] The air duct 110 has an air cavity 113 suitable for airflow, as shown in Figure 7. The upper opening of the air cavity 113 can serve as the air outlet 111 of the air duct 110, and the lower opening of the air cavity 113 can serve as the air inlet 112 of the air duct 110. The width of the air cavity 113 can gradually increase from bottom to top. As the width of the air cavity 113 increases, the cross-sectional area of ​​air circulation also increases accordingly, helping to reduce resistance to airflow and effectively increase ventilation volume.

[0059] It is understandable that, in other embodiments, the air driven by the fan 130 may be air located outside the cavity 200 , which will not be described in detail here.

[0060] The air outlet 111 of the air duct 110 can be located on the side of the air duct 110, as shown in Figure 6. Referring to Figure 8, the air outlet of the cavity auxiliary temperature control module 100 is located on the side, which makes it easier for the airflow discharged from the cavity auxiliary temperature control module 100 to be blown around the printing platform module 300, thereby effectively regulating the temperature of the model and the printing platform module 300.

[0061] The air duct 110 includes a first shell 114 and a second shell 115, as shown in Figure 1. The second shell 115 is disposed at the lower end of the first shell 114. The first shell 114 and the second shell 115 are joined to form the air duct 110, making it easier to install the heater 120 in the air duct 110.

[0062] Specifically, the heater 120 can be located within the upper end of the second housing 115 and confined between the first housing 114 and the second housing 115, as shown in Figure 7. Referring to Figure 3, during assembly, the heater 120 can be first installed within the upper end of the second housing 115, and then the first housing 114 can be installed within the upper end of the second housing 115. This not only facilitates installation but also effectively encloses the heater 120 within the air duct 110, improving heating efficiency and preventing contact between the heater 120 and other modules within the 3D printer 1000.

[0063] The second shell 115 may be provided with two limiting grooves 1151 , as shown in FIG1 . The two limiting grooves 1151 are symmetrically provided at the upper end of the second shell 115 , so as to facilitate rapid positioning of the heater 120 in the second shell 115 .

[0064] Specifically, the heater 120 may include a heating portion 121, an electrical connection portion 122, and two support portions 123, as shown in Figure 1. The two support portions 123 are fixed to the ends of the heating portion 121 and are respectively inserted into the two limiting grooves 1151. The electrical connection portion 122 is inserted into one of the support portions 123 and is electrically connected to the heating portion 121. The electrical connection portion 122 can also be electrically connected to a power source to control the operation of the heating portion 121.

[0065] The cavity auxiliary temperature control module 100 may further include a heat insulating block 140, as shown in FIG3 . The heat insulating block 140 is sleeved outside the support portion 123 and is confined within the retaining groove 1151 and fixed to the second shell portion 115 . This not only protects the air duct 110 but also ensures a more secure assembly between the heater 120 and the air duct 110 .

[0066] The second shell portion 115 may also be provided with a support rib 1152, as shown in FIG1 . There may be two support ribs 1152 . The two support ribs 1152 are respectively fixed to the outside of the second shell portion 115 , and each support rib 1152 is respectively provided at the lower end of the limiting groove 1151 .

[0067] The above-mentioned cavity auxiliary temperature control module 100 may also include two gaskets 150, please refer to Figure 1. The gaskets 150 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the insulation blocks 140. Each gasket 150 is respectively sleeved on the corresponding insulation block 140. The support ribs 1152 can be used to support the gaskets 150, please refer to Figure 3. The support ribs 1152 and the gaskets 150 can also be fastened by a third threaded member. As an example, the third threaded member can be a bolt and a nut that cooperate with each other. The specific structure of the third threaded member is not limited here, so it will not be repeated.

[0068] It is understandable that, in other embodiments, the thermal insulation block 140 may also be directly fixed to the support rib 1152 or supported and fixed to the second shell portion 115 , which will not be elaborated herein.

[0069] The heater 120 may be a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater.

[0070] It is understandable that in other embodiments, the heater 120 may also be other types of heaters.

[0071] 8 , a 3D printer 1000 according to an embodiment of the present application includes any of the above-mentioned cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment modules 100 . The cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment module 100 can be fixed in the cavity 200 of the 3D printer 1000 .

[0072] The 3D printer 1000 may include two cavity auxiliary temperature control modules 100. The two cavity auxiliary temperature control modules 100 may be symmetrically arranged on both sides of the cavity 200, thereby effectively improving the temperature control efficiency and making the temperature in the cavity 200 more uniform.

[0073] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0074] The above embodiments merely represent preferred embodiments of the present application. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art may make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present patent application shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Cavity auxiliary temperature control module, characterized in that: include: air duct; a heater, fixed to the air duct; and a fan, fixed to the air duct; wherein the fan is configured to drive air to form a wind flow, and the wind flow flows through the heater and is discharged from the air duct; When the heater is working, the airflow discharged from the air duct is a first airflow, and the first airflow is configured to increase the temperature of the cavity; When the heater is not working, the airflow discharged from the air duct is a second airflow, and the second airflow is configured to cool the cavity.

2. The cavity auxiliary temperature control module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heater and the fan are respectively detachably connected to the air duct.

3. The cavity auxiliary temperature control module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The heater is connected to the air duct via a first clamping member; The fan is connected to the air duct via at least one of a second clamping member and a second threaded member.

4. The cavity auxiliary temperature control module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The heater is connected to the air duct via a first threaded member; The fan is connected to the air duct via at least one of a second clamping member and a second threaded member.

5. The cavity auxiliary temperature control module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The heater is connected to the air duct via a first clamping member and a first threaded member; The fan is connected to the air duct via at least one of a second clamping member and a second threaded member.

6. The cavity auxiliary temperature control module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The air duct is arranged vertically; The fan is fixed to the lower end of the air duct; The wind flow is discharged from the upper end of the air duct.

7. The cavity auxiliary temperature control module according to claim 6, characterized in that: The air outlet of the air duct is located on the side of the air duct.

8. The cavity auxiliary temperature control module according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The air duct is formed by connecting a first shell portion and a second shell portion provided at the lower end of the first shell portion; The heater is provided at the inner upper end of the second shell portion and is confined between the first shell portion and the second shell portion.

9. The cavity auxiliary temperature control module according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second shell portion has two limiting grooves symmetrically opened at the upper end of the second shell portion; The heater includes a heating portion, an electrical connection portion, and two support portions, wherein the two support portions are respectively fixed to both ends of the heating portion and respectively penetrate the two limiting grooves, and the electrical connection portion penetrates one of the support portions and is electrically connected to the heating portion; The cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment module further includes a heat insulation block sleeved outside the support portion. The heat insulation block is confined in the limiting groove and fixed to the second shell portion.

10. The cavity auxiliary temperature control module according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The heater is a PTC heater.

11. The cavity auxiliary temperature control module according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The air duct has an air cavity suitable for air flow to flow through, the upper end opening of the air cavity is the air outlet of the air duct, the lower end opening of the air cavity is the air inlet of the air duct, and the width of the air cavity gradually widens from bottom to top.

12. A 3D printer, characterized in that Including cavity auxiliary temperature control module; The cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment module is fixed in the cavity of the 3D printer, and the cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment module includes: air duct; a heater fixed to the air duct; and a fan, fixed to the air duct; wherein the fan is configured to drive air to form a wind flow, and the wind flow flows through the heater and is discharged from the air duct; When the heater is working, the airflow discharged from the air duct is a first airflow, and the first airflow is configured to increase the temperature of the cavity; When the heater is not working, the airflow discharged from the air duct is a second airflow, and the second airflow is configured to cool the cavity.

13. The 3D printer according to claim 12, wherein: The heater and the fan are respectively detachably connected to the air duct.

14. The 3D printer according to claim 12 or 13, wherein: The heater is connected to the air duct via a first clamping member and / or a first threaded member; The fan is connected to the air duct via a second clamping member and / or a second threaded member.

15. The 3D printer according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein: The air duct is arranged vertically; The fan is fixed to the lower end of the air duct; The wind flow is discharged from the upper end of the air duct.

16. The 3D printer according to claim 15, wherein: The air outlet of the air duct is located on the side of the air duct.

17. The 3D printer according to claim 15 or 16, wherein: The air duct is formed by connecting a first shell portion and a second shell portion provided at the lower end of the first shell portion; The heater is provided at the inner upper end of the second shell portion and is confined between the first shell portion and the second shell portion.

18. The 3D printer according to claim 17, wherein: The second shell portion has two limiting grooves symmetrically opened at the upper end of the second shell portion; The heater includes a heating portion, an electrical connection portion, and two support portions, wherein the two support portions are respectively fixed to both ends of the heating portion and respectively pass through the two limiting grooves, and the electrical connection portion passes through one of the support portions and is electrically connected to the heating portion; The cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment module further includes a heat insulation block sleeved outside the support portion. The heat insulation block is confined in the limiting groove and fixed to the second shell portion.

19. The 3D printer according to any one of claims 12 to 18, wherein: The heater is a PTC heater.

20. The 3D printer according to any one of claims 12 to 19, wherein: The 3D printer includes two cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment modules; The two cavity auxiliary temperature adjustment modules are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the cavity.

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