Extrusion apparatus, print head, and 3D printing device

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of 3D printing, aims to solve the problems that some known 3D printing devices have low consumable utilization rates and low printing efficiency, and provides an extrusion apparatus, a print head, and a 3D printing device. The extrusion apparatus comprises a frame body, an extrusion assembly, a movable member, and a first elastic member. The frame body is provided with a first consumable channel, the first consumable channel comprises a feeding section and a discharging section, and the feeding section and the discharging section are spaced apart in a first direction and communicated with each other. The extrusion assembly is arranged between the feeding section and the discharging section, and the extrusion assembly is configured to drive a consumable to be conveyed in the first consumable channel. The movable member is movably arranged in the first consumable channel in the first direction, and the movable member is configured to frictionally engage with the consumable passing through the first consumable channel so as to generate a resistance against consumable conveying. Two ends of the first elastic member are respectively connected to the movable member and the frame body so as to provide an elastic force for resetting the movable member. The present application has the beneficial effects of improving the consumable utilization rate and the printing efficiency.

Description

Extrusion device, printing head and 3D printing equipment TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of 3D printing, in particular to an extrusion device, a printing head and a 3D printing equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] The existing 3D printing equipment, such as the 3D printing equipment based on the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology, needs to perform the cutting and discharging actions of the current extrusion assembly when stopping working or switching other consumables, which results in large waste of consumables and low printing efficiency.

[0003] SUMMARY

[0004] The present application provides an extrusion device, a printing head and a 3D printing equipment to solve the problems of low utilization rate of consumables and low printing efficiency of some known 3D printing equipment.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides an extrusion device, comprising a frame body, an extrusion assembly, a movable member and a first elastic member. The frame body is provided with a first consumable channel, the first consumable channel comprising a feeding section and a discharging section, the feeding section and the discharging section being spaced apart and communicating with each other along a first direction. The extrusion assembly is arranged between the feeding section and the discharging section, and is configured to drive the consumable to be conveyed in the first consumable channel. The movable member is movably arranged in the first consumable channel along the first direction, and is configured to be in frictional engagement with the consumable passing through the first consumable channel to generate a resistance against the conveying of the consumable. The two ends of the first elastic member are connected to the movable member and the frame body respectively to provide an elastic force for resetting the movable member.

[0006] When the consumable passes through the first consumable channel during the extrusion assembly extruding the consumable and driving the consumable to move in the first direction, the consumable exerts a friction force on the movable piece in the opposite direction of the consumable conveying direction, so that the movable piece moves in the opposite direction of the consumable conveying direction, thereby the movable piece exerts a resistance force on the consumable in the opposite direction of the conveying direction, reducing the stress of the consumable, improving the reliability of the consumable conveying process, and reducing the possibility of the consumable being broken. At the same time, the first elastic piece can exert an elastic force on the movable piece to reset the movable piece; after the extrusion assembly stops extruding the consumable, the consumable in the first consumable channel is still subjected to the pulling force of the nozzle part due to the melting extrusion of the other end of the consumable under the action of the nozzle part, and the first elastic piece still exerts an elastic force on the movable piece to move the movable piece close to the feeding section in the first direction, thereby buffering the pulling force acting on the consumable. After the nozzle part stops working, the consumable is no longer subjected to the force, and the first elastic piece can drive the consumable to move in the opposite direction of the consumable conveying direction through the movable piece, thereby eliminating the need for additional cutting action on the consumable, reducing the waste of the consumable. Furthermore, when a plurality of extrusion assemblies are provided, the cutting and discharging actions on the current extrusion assembly are omitted during the switching from the current extrusion assembly to the next extrusion assembly, thereby further improving the printing efficiency.

[0007] In one possible implementation manner:

[0008] The extrusion device further comprises a first limiting part arranged in the first consumable channel, the first limiting part is arranged between the movable piece and the extrusion assembly in the first direction, so as to limit the stroke of the movable piece.

[0009] In one possible implementation manner:

[0010] The extrusion device further comprises a first guide piece and a first guide hole, the length direction of the first guide piece is parallel to the first direction, one of the first guide piece and the first guide hole is arranged on the frame body, and the other is arranged on the movable piece, the first guide piece is movably arranged in the first guide hole in the first direction, and one of the first guide piece and the first guide hole is arranged on the first limiting part.

[0011] In one possible implementation manner:

[0012] The movable piece is provided with a feeding hole, the hole surface of the feeding hole is configured to be frictionally matched with the consumable passing through the feeding hole, so as to move in the conveying direction of the consumable under the driving of the consumable and generate a resistance force against the conveying of the consumable.

[0013] In one possible implementation manner:

[0014] The extrusion device further comprises a protrusion part arranged at the first material passage, the protrusion part is arranged between the moving part and the extrusion assembly along a first direction, and the first elastic part is arranged between the protrusion part and the moving part.

[0015] In a second aspect, the present application further provides a print head, comprising a mounting frame, the aforementioned extrusion device, and a nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly has a second material passage, the nozzle assembly is arranged at the mounting frame, and the second material passage is communicated with the discharge section of the first material passage of the extrusion device.

[0016] In a possible implementation manner,

[0017] The print head comprises the same number of the extrusion devices and the nozzle assemblies, each of the nozzle assemblies is movably arranged at the mounting frame, and the first material passage of each of the extrusion devices is respectively communicated with the second material passage of one of the nozzle assemblies.

[0018] In a possible implementation manner,

[0019] Each of the nozzle assemblies is switchable between a printing position and a standby position;

[0020] The print head further comprises a switching assembly, the switching assembly is configured to switch the positions of the nozzle assemblies, so that the selected nozzle assemblies enter the printing position, and the unselected nozzle assemblies remain in the standby position.

[0021] In a possible implementation manner,

[0022] The switching assembly comprises a power part and a switching part, the power part is movably arranged at the mounting frame along a second direction, the switching part is rotatably arranged at the mounting frame, and the power part is in transmission cooperation with the switching part.

[0023] During the movement of the power part from a first position to a second position, the power part is configured to drive the switching part to rotate relative to the mounting frame, so as to drive the selected nozzle assemblies to move to the printing position.

[0024] In a possible implementation manner,

[0025] The switching part comprises a first gear, a rotating shaft, and a switching part, the rotating shaft extends along a first direction and is rotatably connected to the mounting frame, the first gear is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft, the switching part is fixed to the rotating shaft, the switching part is arranged at a position spaced from the first gear along the first direction, and a plurality of the nozzle assemblies are respectively arranged at different circumferential positions of the switching part along the first direction.

[0026] The power member includes a rack movably arranged on the mounting frame along a second direction, the rack is engaged with the first gear, the rack is configured to drive the first gear to rotate, and the rotation shaft is configured to drive the switching part to rotate, thereby pushing the selected printhead assembly to move along a first direction to a printing position.

[0027] In one possible implementation,

[0028] The switching part has an abutting surface, the abutting surface includes a first surface segment and a second surface segment, the first surface segment and the second surface segment are connected along a circumferential direction of the switching part, and the second surface segment protrudes the first surface segment along a first direction; the printhead assembly abutting the first surface segment is located at the standby position, and the printhead assembly abutting the second surface segment is located at the printing position.

[0029] In one possible implementation,

[0030] The mounting frame includes a cover plate and a support, the cover plate is connected to a top surface of the support along a first direction, a plurality of printhead assemblies are movably arranged on the support along a first direction, a sliding groove and a avoiding space are arranged on a surface of the cover plate facing the support along a first direction, the sliding groove penetrates through the cover plate along a second direction, the power member is movably arranged in the sliding groove along a second direction, the avoiding space is connected to the sliding groove, and the switching member is located in the avoiding space.

[0031] In one possible implementation,

[0032] The printhead further includes a plurality of second elastic members, at least one second elastic member is arranged between the mounting frame and each printhead assembly, and the second elastic member is configured to apply an elastic force to the printhead assembly, so that the printhead assemblies other than the selected printhead assembly are kept at the standby position.

[0033] In one possible implementation,

[0034] The printhead further includes a second guide member, the second guide member is connected to a side of the mounting frame away from the extrusion device along a first direction, the second guide member is provided with a plurality of second guide holes, the plurality of second guide holes penetrate through the second guide member along a first direction, and each printhead assembly is movably arranged in one second guide hole along a first direction.

[0035] In one possible implementation,

[0036] The switching assembly further comprises a material blocking piece rotatably arranged on the mounting frame, the material blocking piece is located on a side of the mounting frame away from the print head assembly in a first direction, the material blocking piece is provided with a material outlet, the material blocking piece is configured to rotate relative to the mounting frame to a position where the material outlet is in communication with the second material channel of the print head assembly in the printing position, and the material blocking piece is further configured to block the second material channel of the print head assembly in the standby position.

[0037] In a possible implementation manner,

[0038] The material blocking piece has a blocking surface, the blocking surface comprises a third surface segment and a fourth surface segment, the third surface segment and the fourth surface segment are connected in a circumferential direction of the material blocking piece, and the fourth surface segment is concave downward from the third surface segment in a first direction, and the material outlet is provided in the fourth surface segment; the print head assembly in the standby position abuts against the third surface segment, and the print head assembly in the printing position is fitted in the material outlet.

[0039] In a possible implementation manner,

[0040] The switching assembly further comprises a switching piece rotatably arranged on the mounting frame, the switching piece is configured to switch the positions of the print head assemblies so that a selected print head assembly enters the printing position, the switching piece is connected to the material blocking piece to drive the material blocking piece to rotate synchronously, and the second material of the print head assembly in the printing position is communicated to the material outlet.

[0041] In a third aspect, the present application provides a 3D printing device, comprising a mounting frame, the foregoing extrusion device and / or the foregoing print head. The print head is movably arranged on the mounting frame. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0042] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present application, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can also be obtained without creative labor.

[0043] Fig. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a 3D printing device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0044] Fig. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a print head according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0045] Fig. 3 is a structural schematic diagram of an extrusion device of the print head in Fig. 2.

[0046] Fig. 4 is an exploded structural schematic diagram of the extrusion device in Fig. 3.

[0047] Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the extrusion device in Fig. 3 at III-III.

[0048] Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the extrusion device in Fig. 3 at IV-IV.

[0049] Fig. 7 is a sectional view of an extrusion device according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0050] Fig. 8 is an exploded view of the frame, elastic member and movable member of the extrusion device in Fig. 2.

[0051] Fig. 9 is a structural view of the frame of the extrusion device in Fig. 2.

[0052] Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a print head and a trigger portion according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0053] Fig. 11 is an exploded view of the print head in Fig. 2.

[0054] Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a nozzle assembly according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0055] Fig. 13 is an exploded view of the print head without the nozzle assembly according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0056] Fig. 14 is a sectional view of a portion of the print head according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0057] Fig. 15 is a sectional view of a portion of the print head in Fig. 2.

[0058] Fig. 16 is an enlarged view of a portion of XII in Fig. 15.

[0059] Fig. 17 is a partial structural view of a switching assembly according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0060] Fig. 18 is a sectional view of another portion of the print head in Fig. 2.

[0061] Fig. 19 is an enlarged view of a portion of XIV in Fig. 18. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, but not all of the embodiments of the present application.

[0063] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "set on" another component, it can be directly set on the other component or there may be an intervening component. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0064] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "or / and" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0065] Some embodiments of this application are described in detail. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0066] Referring to Figure 1, this embodiment provides a 3D printing device 1000, which can specifically be a 3D printing device 1000 based on FDM technology.

[0067] The 3D printing equipment 1000 includes a frame 300, a printing platform 200, a print head 100 assembly, and displacement components in a first direction X, a second direction Y, and a third direction Z. The print head 100 and the printing platform 200 move relative to each other in a controlled manner under the action of the displacement components. For example, the printing platform 200 can be displaced relative to the frame 300 along the third direction Z under the action of the third direction Z displacement component, and the print head 100 can be displaced along the first direction X and / or the second direction Y under the action of the first direction X and the second direction Y displacement components, and heat and melt the filament according to a set path to print the shape on the printing platform 200.

[0068] The displacement components in the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z can all be driven by a lead screw and nut, a belt, or other drive mechanisms, and there are no restrictions here.

[0069] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 1, the frame 300 includes a base 320 and a gantry 310, with the gantry 310 vertically connected to the base 320. The printing platform 200 is movably disposed on the base 320. The gantry 310 includes two columns 311 spaced apart along a second direction Y and a crossbeam 312 connected to the ends of the two columns 311 away from the base 320, wherein the columns 311 extend along a first direction X. An optical axis 400 movable along the first direction X can be connected between the two columns 311, and the print head 100 is movably connected to the optical axis 400 along the second direction Y. Thus, the print head 100 can be displaced along the first direction X or displaced along the second direction Y together with the optical axis 400. It should be noted that the 3D printing equipment 1000 in this embodiment is configured as a gantry-type 3D printing equipment. In other embodiments, the 3D printing equipment 1000 may also be a whole-machine 3D printer, a single cantilever 3D printer, an infinite Z-axis 3D printer, or a delta 3D printer. The specific structure of the frame 300 may be adjusted according to the model of the 3D printer, and will not be described in detail here.

[0070] Optionally, referring to Figures 1 and 2, the 3D printing equipment 1000 also includes a slider 500, which is fixedly connected to the print head 100. The slider 500 can be fixedly connected to the conveyor belt 601, so that the print head 100 can be moved along the second direction Y under the drive of the conveyor belt 601. The slider 500 can also slide with the guide belt 602, so as to guide the movement of the print head 100 along the second direction Y.

[0071] In this embodiment, referring to FIG2, the printhead 100 includes an extrusion device 10 and a nozzle assembly 30. The extrusion device 10 is fixedly connected to the nozzle assembly 30 (for example, both are connected to the same frame to achieve mutual fixation) so that they can be synchronously displaced along a first direction X and / or a second direction Y. The extrusion device 10 is used to extrude filament, and the nozzle assembly 30 is used to receive the filament extruded by the extrusion device 10 and heat and melt the filament for printing onto the printing platform 200 to form a printed part.

[0072] Figures 3 to 9 illustrate an extrusion apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of this application. The extrusion apparatus 10 includes a frame 11, an extrusion assembly 12, a movable member 13, and a first elastic member 14. A first consumable channel 111 (see Figure 5) is provided on the frame 11. The first consumable channel 111 includes a feed section 112 and a discharge section 113. The feed section 112 and the discharge section 113 are spaced apart and interconnected along a first direction X. The extrusion assembly 12 is disposed between the feed section 112 and the discharge section 112, and is configured to drive consumables to be conveyed within the first consumable channel 111. The movable member 13 is movably disposed within the first consumable channel 111 along the first direction X. The movable member 13 is configured to frictionally engage with the consumables passing through the first consumable channel 111 to generate resistance against the conveying of consumables. The two ends of the first elastic member 14 are respectively connected to the movable member 13 and the frame 11 to provide an elastic force for the movable member 13 to return to its original position.

[0073] According to the above embodiment, during the process of the extrusion assembly 12 extruding the consumable and driving the consumable to move along the first direction X, when the consumable passes through the first consumable channel 111, the consumable applies a frictional force to the movable part 13 in the opposite direction of the consumable conveying direction, causing the movable part 13 to move in the opposite direction of the consumable conveying direction. This results in the movable part 13 applying resistance to the consumable in the opposite direction of the conveying direction, reducing the stress on the consumable, improving the reliability of the consumable conveying process, and reducing the possibility of consumable breakage. Simultaneously, the first elastic member 14 can apply an elastic force to the movable part 13 along the first direction X, approaching the feed section 112. After the extrusion assembly 12 stops extruding the consumable, since the other end of the consumable is still melted and extruded under the action of the nozzle assembly 30, the consumable in the first consumable channel is still subjected to the tension of the nozzle portion. The first elastic member 14 continues to apply an elastic force to the movable part 13 along the first direction X, approaching the feed section 112, thereby buffering the tension on the consumable. After the printhead stops working, the filament is no longer under force. The first elastic element 14 can drive the filament to move in the opposite direction of the filament conveying direction through the movable element 13, thus eliminating the need for additional filament cutting and reducing filament waste. Furthermore, when multiple extrusion components 12 are provided, the cutting and ejection actions of the current extrusion component 12 are omitted during the switching from the current extrusion component 12 to the next extrusion component 12, which can further improve printing efficiency.

[0074] The conveying direction of consumables refers to the direction from the feeding section 112 to the discharging section 113 in the first direction X. The reverse conveying direction of consumables refers to the direction from the discharging section 113 to the feeding section 112 in the first direction X.

[0075] In this embodiment, the movable member 13 has a feeding hole 131, and the surface of the feeding hole 131 is configured to frictionally engage with the consumable material passing through the feeding hole 131, so as to move along the conveying direction of the consumable material under the drive of the consumable material. In other embodiments, the movable member 13 may also have a feeding groove, and the surface of the feeding groove frictionally engages with the consumable material.

[0076] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 5, both the first elastic member 14 and the movable member 13 are located within the discharge section 113. One end of the first elastic member 14 is connected to the movable member 13, and the other end of the first elastic member 14 is connected to the frame 11. In other embodiments, both the movable member 13 and the first elastic member 14 may be located within the feed section 112. The positions of the movable member 13 and the elastic member 14 within the first consumable channel 111 can be adjusted according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not impose specific limitations on them.

[0077] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 4 and 5, the extrusion device 10 further includes a connector 18, which is installed within the feed section 112. The connector 18 is used to connect a consumable pipeline, so that the consumable is conveyed through the consumable pipeline to the connector 18, and then extruded and conveyed to the discharge section 113 via the extrusion assembly 12. The consumable pipeline may be made of Teflon tubing.

[0078] In this embodiment, referring to FIG4, the extrusion assembly 12 includes a driving member 123, a driving wheel 121, and a driven wheel 122. The driving member 123 is fixedly mounted on the frame 11. The driving member 123 is connected to the driving wheel 121. The driving wheel 121 includes a driving gear 1211 and a driving extrusion wheel 1212. The driven wheel 122 includes a driven gear 1221 and a driven extrusion wheel 1222. The driving gear 1211 meshes with the driven gear 1221. The driving extrusion wheel 1212 and the driven extrusion wheel 1222 are spaced apart and define an extrusion space 119 (see FIG5). The extrusion space 119 communicates between the feeding section 112 and the discharging section 113, and the extrusion space 119, the feeding section 112, and the discharging section 113 together form a first consumable channel 111.

[0079] Driven by the drive member 123, the active gear 1211 rotates and drives the driven gear 1221 to rotate. Thus, the active extrusion wheel 1212 and the driven extrusion wheel 1222 rotate relative to each other, which can apply extrusion pressure to the consumables in the extrusion space 119, thereby conveying the consumables along the first direction X.

[0080] Optionally, referring to Figure 6, the frame 11 also includes a first connecting ear 118, and the drive component 123 includes a second connecting ear 124. The first connecting ear 118 and the second connecting ear 124 are connected by fastening structures such as bolts, so that the drive component 123 is fixedly connected to the frame 11.

[0081] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 4 and 5, the frame 11 includes a first part 114, a second part 115 and a connecting wall 116. The first part 114 and the second part 115 are spaced apart along a first direction X, and the connecting wall 116 connects the first part 114 and the second part 115.

[0082] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 4 and 5, the extrusion assembly 12 further includes a slider 125. The slider 125 is stacked on the first part 114 along one side of the first direction X, the slider 125 is stacked on the second part 115 along the other side of the first direction X, and the slider 125 is stacked on the connecting wall 116 along one side of the second direction Y. The driven wheel 122 is rotatably disposed inside the slider 125.

[0083] Optionally, referring to Figure 4, the slider 125 includes a third wall 1251, a fourth wall 1252, and a fifth wall 1253. The third wall 1251 and the fourth wall 1252 are spaced apart along a third direction Z. The driven wheel 122 is rotatably connected between the third wall 1251 and the fourth wall 1252. The fifth wall 1253 is connected between the third wall 1251 and the fourth wall 1252. The fifth wall 1253 is stacked on the connecting wall 116.

[0084] In this embodiment, referring to FIG6, the extrusion device 10 further includes a first guide member 151 and a first guide hole 152. One of the first guide member 151 and the first guide hole 152 is disposed in the frame 11, and the other of the first guide member 151 and the first guide hole 152 is disposed in the movable member 13. The length direction of the first guide member 151 is parallel to the first direction X. The first guide member 151 is movably fitted into the first guide hole 152 along the first direction X. The first guide member 151 is used to guide the movable member 13 to move relative to the frame 11 along the first direction X.

[0085] Thus, the first guide member 151 can guide the movement of the movable member 13, so as to ensure that the frictional force applied by the movable member 13 to the consumable is parallel to the first direction X, thereby ensuring that the conveying direction of the consumable is parallel to the first direction X.

[0086] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 8, the first guide member 151 is fixedly connected to the movable member 13, and the first guide hole 152 is formed in the frame 11. Its processing difficulty is low and it is easy to implement. In other embodiments, the first guide hole 152 is formed in the movable member 13, and the first guide member 151 is fixedly disposed in the frame 11.

[0087] In another embodiment, the guiding effect of the movable member 13 and the discharge section 113 moving along the first direction X can also be achieved in other ways. The extrusion device 10 also includes a guide groove and a guide block. The guide groove extends parallel to the first direction X, and the guide block is fitted into the guide. One of the guide block and the guide groove is located on the frame 11, and the other is located on the movable member 13. For example, the guide block protrudes from the outer surface of the movable member 13, and the guide groove is formed on the inner surface of the discharge section 113; or, the guide block is formed on the outer surface of the movable member 13, and the guide block protrudes from the inner surface of the discharge section 113.

[0088] Therefore, there are various structures that can achieve the guiding effect of the movable part 13 and the frame 11 along the first direction X, and this embodiment does not specifically limit them.

[0089] In this embodiment, referring to FIG6, the extrusion device 10 further includes a first limiting portion 16 disposed within the first consumable channel 111. The first limiting portion 16 may protrude from the surface of the discharge section 113 or the surface of the feed section 112. A movable member 13 is disposed on the side of the first limiting portion 16 away from the feed section 112 along the first direction X. The first limiting portion 16 is used to limit the stroke of the movable member 13. One of the first guide member 151 and the first guide hole 152 is disposed in the first limiting portion 16. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first guide hole 152 is disposed in the first limiting portion 16, thereby improving the integration of the extrusion device 10.

[0090] In this way, the movement of the movable part 13 within the discharge section 113 can be restricted, so as to avoid the first elastic element 14 exerting too much force on the movable part 13.

[0091] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 5, the extrusion device 10 further includes a base plate 191, which is disposed on the bottom surface of the frame 11. The base plate 191 has a first connecting hole 192, which connects to the discharge section 113. Consumables can be conveyed to the nozzle assembly 30 through the first connecting hole 192. The base plate 191 extends to the inside of the discharge section 113 at the edge of the connecting hole. Thus, the base plate 191 can further limit the stroke of the movable part 13, thereby preventing the movable part 13 from falling off the discharge section 113. In other embodiments, the extrusion device 10 may not need to provide a base plate 191, and a corresponding stop block 193 (see Figures 6 and 7) can be provided at the opening of the discharge section 113 to block the movable part 13. In another embodiment, the first elastic member 14 can also be elastically supported between the movable part 13 and the base plate 191. In another embodiment, referring to Figure 7, the first elastic member 14 is elastically supported between the stop block 193 and the base plate 191.

[0092] In this embodiment, referring to FIG5, the extrusion device 10 further includes a protrusion 17 disposed in the first consumable channel 111. The protrusion 17 may protrude from the surface of the discharge section 113 or the surface of the feed section 112. The movable member 13 is disposed on the side of the protrusion 17 away from the feed section 112 along the first direction X. The first elastic member 14 is elastically supported between the protrusion 17 and the movable member 13.

[0093] Optionally, the protrusion 17 protrudes from the inner surface of the inlet of the discharge section 113 to provide sufficient space for installing the first elastic member 14.

[0094] In this embodiment, the first elastic element 14 is a tension spring. One end of the tension spring along the first direction X is connected to the protrusion 17, and the other end is connected to the movable element 13. Thus, the tension spring can provide an elastic force to the movable element 13 along the first direction X as it approaches the feed section 112. At the same time, the structural design of the tension spring allows the first elastic element 14 and the movable element 13 to be sequentially inserted into the discharge section 113 through the opening, which helps to improve the ease of disassembly and maintenance of the extrusion device 10.

[0095] Figure 7 illustrates the first elastic member 14 according to another embodiment of this application. In this embodiment, the frame 11 of the extrusion device 10 does not need to be additionally provided with the protrusion 17. The extrusion device 10 also includes a stop 193, which protrudes from the inner surface of the outlet section 113. The first elastic member 14 is elastically supported between the stop 193 and the movable member 13. In this embodiment, the first elastic member 14 can be a spring.

[0096] Therefore, the assembly and mating relationship between the first elastic element 14, the frame 11 and the movable element 13 can be adjusted according to actual needs, and this embodiment does not specifically limit it.

[0097] In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the first limiting part 16 can be provided as a separate blocking structure at the entrance of the discharge section 113, thereby preventing the movable part 13 from coming out of the opening of the discharge section 113, and at the same time, it will not affect the installation of the first elastic member 14 and the movable part 13.

[0098] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 8 and 9, the first part 114 has a feeding section 112, and the second part 115 has a discharging section 113. The extrusion assembly 12 is disposed between the first part 114 and the second part 115, and is rotatably connected to the connecting wall 116.

[0099] Optionally, referring to Figure 9, the connecting wall 116 includes a first wall 1161 and a second wall 1162. The first wall 1161 and the second wall 1162 are bent and connected. The first wall 1161 is provided with a mounting hole 1163. Referring to Figure 4, the extrusion assembly 12 also includes a first bearing 126, which fits into the mounting hole 1163. One end of the drive wheel 121 is mounted in the first bearing 126. The first bearing 126 can improve the rotational smoothness of the drive wheel 121 and reduce the possibility of jamming between the drive wheel 121 and the driven wheel 122, thereby improving the feeding reliability of the drive wheel 121 and the driven wheel 122.

[0100] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 8 and 9, the second part 115 is also provided with a fixing hole 117, which is used to fix the frame 11 to the mounting bracket 20 of the print head 100 by fastening structures such as bolts.

[0101] The printhead 100 provided in the embodiments of this application is further described below with reference to Figures 10 to 19.

[0102] Referring to Figures 10 and 11, the printhead 100 further includes a mounting bracket 20. Both the extrusion device 10 and the printhead assembly 30 are disposed on the mounting bracket 20. The printhead assembly 30 has a second consumable channel 31, which communicates with the discharge section 113 of the first consumable channel 111 of the extrusion device 10.

[0103] Referring to Figure 11, multiple extrusion devices 10 are provided, and multiple extrusion devices 10 can realize the extrusion of multiple consumables, for example, they can be used to extrude consumables of various colors. The multiple extrusion devices 10 can be distributed in the distribution plane, and the distribution plane can be perpendicular to the first direction X.

[0104] Multiple nozzle assemblies 30 are provided, each movably mounted on the mounting frame 20, and the multiple nozzle assemblies 30 are distributed on the inner surface of the distribution plane. The first consumable channel 111 of each extrusion device 10 is respectively connected to the second consumable channel 31 of a nozzle assembly 30. Thus, the consumables extruded by each extrusion device 10 can enter the second consumable channel 31 of the nozzle assembly 30 one-to-one, thereby enabling the spraying of different consumables. Optionally, the mounting frame 20 is provided with multiple second connecting holes 213, and the multiple second consumable channels 31 are respectively connected to the multiple first consumable channels 111 through the multiple second connecting holes 213.

[0105] Optionally, the number of extrusion devices 10 is the same as the number of nozzle assemblies 30.

[0106] Each printhead assembly 30 can be movably switched between a printing position and a standby position. In this embodiment, the lower position along the first direction X is the printing position, and the upper position along the first direction X is the standby position. For example, referring to FIG10, the printhead assembly 30 on the left side of FIG10 is located in the printing position, and the printhead assembly 30 on the right side of FIG10 is located in the standby position.

[0107] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 11 and 12, the printhead 100 further includes a plurality of second elastic members 50, with at least one second elastic member 50 disposed between the mounting bracket 20 and each printhead assembly 30. The second elastic members 50 are configured to apply an elastic force to the printhead assembly 30 to hold other printhead assemblies 30 besides the selected one in a standby position. Thus, after the switching assembly 40 moves relative to the mounting bracket 20 and leaves the position that held the current printhead assembly 30 in the printing position, the second elastic member 50 can apply an elastic force to the printhead assembly 30, the direction of which is along the first direction X toward the extrusion assembly 12, thereby moving the printhead assembly 30 upward along the first direction X to a standby position.

[0108] Optionally, the second elastic element 50 can be a spring.

[0109] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 11, the nozzle assembly 30 includes a throat 33, a heat sink 34, a heat conductor 35, a nozzle 37, a heating element 36, and a heat insulation element 38. The throat 33 is used to deliver consumables. The heat sink 34 is fitted onto one end of the throat 33. The heat conductor 35 is connected to the other end of the throat 33, communicating with the throat 33 to form a second consumable channel 31. The nozzle 37 is located at the end of the heat conductor 35 away from the throat 33. The heating element 36 is fitted onto the outside of the heat conductor 35 and is used to heat the consumables within the heat conductor 35. The heat insulation element 38 is fitted onto the outside of the heating element 36 to reduce heat loss. The heating element 36 heats the heat conductor 35 to melt the consumables within the heat conductor 35 and extrude them from the nozzle 37. The heat sink 34 cools the end of the throat 33 away from the heating element 36 to prevent premature melting of the consumables there and reduce the risk of throat 33 blockage. The heat sink 34 has heat dissipation fins 342 on its outer side to improve heat dissipation efficiency.

[0110] In this embodiment, referring to FIG11, the nozzle assembly 30 further includes a mating part 32. The mating part 32 is disposed on the side of the heat sink 34 away from the nozzle 37. The mating part 32 is used to cooperate with the switching member 42 to drive the nozzle assembly 30 to move along the first direction X under the drive of the switching member 42.

[0111] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 10 and 11, the second elastic member 50 is elastically supported between the mating part and the mounting bracket 20.

[0112] In this embodiment, referring to FIG11, the printhead 100 further includes a switching component 40. The switching component 40 is used to switch the positions of each printhead component 30 so that the selected printhead component 30 enters the printing position, while the unselected printhead component 30 remains in the standby position. In this way, it is possible to ensure that only the selected printhead component 30 can eject the molten consumable at any given time.

[0113] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 12 to 14, the switching assembly 40 includes a power component 41 and a switching component 42. The power component 41 is movably mounted on the mounting frame 20 along the second direction Y, and the switching component 42 is rotatably mounted on the mounting frame 20. The power component 41 and the switching component 42 are in a transmission engagement. During the movement of the power component 41 from the first position to the second position, the power component 41 can drive the switching component 42 to rotate relative to the mounting frame 20, thereby moving the selected printhead assembly 30 to the printing position.

[0114] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 13 and 14, the switching component 42 includes a first gear 421, a rotating shaft 422, and a switching part 423. The rotating shaft 422 extends along a first direction X and is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 20. The first gear 421 is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 422, and the switching part 423 is fixed to the rotating shaft 422. The switching part 423 and the first gear 421 are spaced apart along the first direction X. Multiple nozzle assemblies 30 abut against different circumferential positions of the switching part 423 along the first direction X. Optionally, the nozzle assembly 30 abuts against the bottom surface of the switching part 423 along the first direction X. The second elastic member 50 can also ensure stable contact between the nozzle assembly 30 and the switching part 423, thereby reducing the movement error of the nozzle assembly 30.

[0115] Referring to Figures 13 and 14, the power unit 41 includes a rack 411, which is movably mounted on the mounting bracket 20 along the second direction Y. The rack 411 meshes with the first gear 421 and drives the first gear 421 to rotate, which in turn drives the switching part 423 to rotate via the rotating shaft 422, thereby pushing the selected printhead assembly 30 to move along the first direction X to the printing position.

[0116] Referring to Figures 1 and 10, in this embodiment, the frame 300 further includes a first trigger part 3131 and a second trigger part 3132. One column 311 is provided with the first trigger part 3131, and the other column 311 is provided with the second trigger part 3132. The first trigger part 3131 and the second trigger part 3132 extend towards each other along the second direction Y.

[0117] When it is necessary to switch consumables, the printhead 100 can be moved along the second direction Y toward a column 311 until the rack 411 abuts against the first trigger part 3131 of the column 311, at which point the power unit 41 is in the first position. As the printhead 100 continues to move along the second direction Y toward the column 311, the rack 411 remains in a fixed position, while the mounting bracket 20 moves closer to the column 311 along the second direction Y. This causes relative movement between the rack 411 and the mounting bracket 20 along the second direction Y. During this movement, the rack 411 drives the first gear 421 to rotate, and the first gear 421 drives the switching part 423 to rotate via the rotating shaft 422. The rotation of the switching part 423 causes the positions of multiple printhead assemblies 30 to change along the first direction X. This configuration reduces the weight of the printhead 100 and increases its moving accuracy and speed, thereby improving printing accuracy and efficiency.

[0118] When the switching unit 423 rotates to the selected printhead assembly 30 and moves to the printing position, the power unit 41 is in the second position.

[0119] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 12, there are four nozzle assemblies 30. The mating parts 32 of the four nozzle assemblies 30 are arranged in a rectangular pattern, that is, in two rows and two columns. The four nozzle assemblies 30 are evenly arranged around the circumference of the rotating shaft 422. Thus, during the movement of the rack 411 from the first position, the second position is the position where the rack 411 rotates 90°, 180°, 270°, or 360° at the switching part 423. In other embodiments, when the number of nozzle assemblies 30 changes, the relationship between the rotation angle of the switching part 423 and the second position of the rack 411 also changes accordingly, which will not be elaborated here.

[0120] Obviously, when the selected nozzle assembly 30 changes, the second position of the power component 41 also changes accordingly. Therefore, there are multiple possible second positions of the power component 41, and this embodiment does not specifically limit them.

[0121] In other embodiments, the rack 411 can move in various ways. For example, the rack 411 can move along the second direction Y under the drive of a linear motor, thereby driving the first gear 421 to rotate. The motor can be fixedly mounted on the mounting bracket 20 or fixedly mounted on the frame 300.

[0122] In other embodiments, the rack 411 can also be replaced by a swing arm, which is rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket 20. One end of the swing arm is connected to the first gear 421, and the other end of the swing arm is suspended in the air. The swing arm can drive the first gear 421 to rotate after triggering the first trigger part 3131 or the second trigger part 3132, thereby driving the switching member 42 to rotate.

[0123] In addition, in some embodiments, the power component 41 can also be a rotary motor, which is directly connected to the rotary shaft 422 and is used to drive the rotary shaft 422 to rotate. In this way, there is no need to set the first gear 421 separately.

[0124] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 13 and 14, the switching assembly 40 further includes a second gear 43, which is rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket 20. One side of the second gear 43 meshes with the rack 411, and the other side meshes with the first gear 421. The second gear 43 can increase the distance between the rack 411 and the first gear 421 along the second direction Y, thereby avoiding interference between the rack 411 and the end of the nozzle assembly 30 near the extrusion assembly 12, and also avoiding interference between the first gear 421 and the end of the nozzle assembly 30 near the extrusion assembly 12. Simultaneously, the second gear 43 can also improve the overall meshing transmission stability of the rack 411 and the second gear 43.

[0125] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 14, the rack 411 has a limiting hole 412 that extends through the rack along a first direction X. The limiting hole 412 has two closed ends 4121, which are arranged opposite to each other along a second direction Y. The mounting bracket 20 includes a second limiting part 23, which fits into the limiting hole 412. The second limiting part 23 is used to limit the extreme positions of the rack 411 relative to the mounting bracket 20.

[0126] During the forward movement of rack 411 along the second direction Y, it can move to a position where the second limiting part 23 abuts against one closed end 4121. At this time, the second limiting part 23 restricts one extreme position of rack 411. Correspondingly, the second limiting part 23 can also abut against the other closed end 4121 to restrict another extreme position of rack 411. In this way, it can be ensured that rack 411 will not fall off the mounting bracket 20, and it can also prevent rack 411 from disengaging from the first rack 4111. The length of limiting hole 412 can be determined according to the size of mounting bracket 20 and the meshing relationship between the first gear 421 and rack 411. For example, the length of limiting hole 412 can ensure that the first gear 421 rotates at least one revolution.

[0127] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 13, the mounting bracket 20 includes a cover plate 21 and a support 22. The cover plate 21 covers the top surface of the support 22 along the first direction X. Multiple nozzle assemblies 30 are movably mounted on the support 22 along the first direction X. The surface of the cover plate 21 facing the support 22 along the first direction X has a groove 211 and a clearance space 212. The groove 211 penetrates the cover plate 21 along the second direction Y. The rack 411 is movably engaged in the groove 211 along the second direction Y. The clearance space 212 is connected to the groove 211. The first gear 421, the third gear 44, and the two second gears 43 are all located in the clearance space 212. The groove 211 can guide the movement of the rack 411 along the second direction Y, improving the reliability of the rack 411 driving the first gear 421 to rotate.

[0128] In this embodiment, the second limiting part 23 is a protruding post protruding from the cover plate 21 along the first direction X. The second limiting part 23 is correspondingly provided with the sliding groove 211, which facilitates the assembly of the rack 411, the cover plate 21, and the bracket 22. In other embodiments, the rack 411 may be provided with a mating protruding post, and a limiting groove may be provided on the surface of the cover plate 21 facing the bracket 22 or on the surface of the bracket 22 facing the cover plate 21. The limiting groove extends along the second direction Y, and the mating protruding post engages within the limiting groove, thus also achieving the function of limiting the movement of the rack 411. Alternatively, the second limiting part 23 protrudes from the side of the sliding groove 211, and the rack 411 has a mating long groove on the side facing away from the first gear 421 along the third direction Z. The mating long groove extends along the second direction Y, and the second limiting part 23 engages within the mating long groove, thus also achieving the function of limiting the movement of the rack 411. Therefore, there are various limiting and mating structures between the rack 411 and the mounting bracket 20, and this embodiment does not specifically limit them.

[0129] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 14, two racks 411 are provided, including a first rack 4111 and a second rack 4112. The first rack 4111 is located on one side of the first gear 421 along the third direction Z, and the second rack 4112 is located on the other side of the first gear 421 along the third direction Z. Two second limiting parts 23 are provided, one second limiting part 23 is fitted into the limiting hole 412 of the first rack 4111, and the other second limiting part 23 is fitted into the limiting hole 412 of the second rack 4112. The first rack 4111 is correspondingly arranged with the first trigger part 3131, and the second rack 4112 is correspondingly arranged with the second trigger part 3132. Two second gears 43 are provided. One second gear 43 is located between the first rack 4111 and the first gear 421, and the other second gear 43 is located between the second rack 4112 and the first gear 421.

[0130] During the process of the first rack 4111 abutting against the first trigger part 3131 and moving along the second direction Y under the limitation of the first trigger part 3131, the first rack 4111 can drive the second rack 4112 to move along the second direction Y in sequence through the two second gears 43 and the first gear 421. In this way, the rotational force on the first gear 421 is relatively stable, thereby improving the rotational stability of the rotating shaft 422, reducing the possibility of the rotating shaft 422 deflecting, and thus improving the accuracy of the switching part 423 in switching the position of the nozzle assembly 30.

[0131] Optionally, referring to Figure 14, the switching assembly 40 further includes a third gear 44. The third gear 44 is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 20 and meshes with the first gear 421. The third gear 44 and the two second gears 43 are respectively meshed at different positions of the first gear 421. The third gear 44 can improve the uniformity of force on the first gear 421 and improve the rotational stability of the first gear 421.

[0132] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 11, the mounting bracket 20 also includes a connecting plate 24, which is connected to one side of the top plate 221 and is fixedly connected to the sliding block 500.

[0133] Referring to Figure 11, the mounting bracket 20 also includes a fixing block 25, which is used to connect with the fastening structure in the fixing hole 117, thereby realizing the fixed connection of the frame 10 to the mounting bracket 20.

[0134] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 15 to 17, the switching unit 423 has abutting surface 4235, which includes a first surface segment 4232 and a second surface segment 4233. The first surface segment 4232 and the second surface segment 4233 are connected circumferentially along the switching unit 423, and the second surface segment 4233 protrudes from the first surface segment 4232 along a first direction X. The printhead assembly 30 in the standby position abuts against the first surface segment 4232, and the printhead assembly 30 in the printing position abuts against the second surface segment 4233. When the switching unit 423 rotates under the drive of the rotating shaft 422, the second surface segment 4233 rotates around the rotating shaft 422 and pushes the selected printhead assembly 30 to move to the printing position along the first direction X.

[0135] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 16, the mating part 32 is located on the side of the nozzle assembly 30 near the switching disk 4231. The mating part 32 abuts against the abutting surface 4235 of the switching disk 4231. The two circumferential sides of the second surface segment 4233 are respectively connected to the first surface segment 4232 by a first arc surface 4234. In this way, during the relative movement between the switching part 423 and the mating part 32, the mating part 32 can move smoothly between the first surface segment 4232 and the second surface segment 4233 through the first arc surface 4234, so that the friction between the mating part 32 and the switching part 423 is small, ensuring the switching reliability of multiple nozzle assemblies 30.

[0136] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 16, the mating part 32 has a mating surface 321 on one side along the first direction X, and the mating surface 321 is stacked on the abutting surface 4235 of the switching disk 4231. The mating surface 321 and the abutting surface 4235 are in surface contact. During the rotation of the multiple mating parts 32 relative to the switching disk 4231, the mating surface 321 can reliably abut against the abutting surface 4235 to reduce the frictional force of the relative movement between the mating parts 32 and the switching disk 4231. In other embodiments, a rollable ball can be provided between the mating part 32 and the switching disk 4231. The ball is rotatably disposed in one of the mating parts 32 and the switching disk 4231 and is tangent to the other of the mating parts 32 and the switching disk 4231, thereby further reducing the frictional force between the mating parts 32 and the switching disk 4231.

[0137] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 16, the bracket 22 includes a top plate 221 and multiple guide protrusions 223. The top plate 221 and the cover plate 21 are spaced apart along the first direction X. The multiple guide protrusions 223 protrude from the side of the top plate 221 opposite to the cover plate 21 along the first direction X. Each of the multiple guide protrusions 223 has a guide groove 224. Each of the multiple nozzle assemblies 30 includes a guide portion 341, which is correspondingly disposed in the multiple guide grooves 224. The guide portion 341 is movably engaged with the guide groove 224 along the first direction X. During the process of the switching part 423 driving the nozzle assembly 30 to move along the first direction X, the engagement of the guide portion 341 and the guide groove 224 can further improve the accuracy of the nozzle assembly 30 moving along the first direction X.

[0138] Optionally, as shown in Figure 11, the guide portion 341 is disposed on the heat sink 34 and located on the side of the mating portion 32 away from the nozzle 37, thereby avoiding interference between the guide portion 341 and the second guide hole 61 on the mating portion 32.

[0139] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 16, the cover plate 21 is provided with a plurality of second connecting holes 213. Each second connecting hole 213 corresponds to a nozzle assembly 30 pair. Each second connecting hole 213 corresponds to a discharge section 113. The throat 33 of the nozzle assembly 30 can extend into the second connecting hole 213 to communicate with the discharge section 113, so that consumables can enter the throat 33 through the second connecting hole 213.

[0140] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 17 to 19, the switching component 40 further includes a baffle 70. The baffle 70 is rotatably disposed on the side of the mounting frame 20 opposite to the extrusion component 12 along the first direction X. The baffle 70 has an outlet 71. The baffle 70 is used to rotate relative to the mounting frame 20 to a position where the outlet 71 communicates with the second consumable channel 31 of the printhead assembly 30 located in the printing position. The baffle 70 is also used to close the second consumable channel 31 of the printhead assembly 30 located in the standby position. Thus, even if there is still consumable stored in the printhead assembly 30 in the standby position, the consumable in the printhead assembly 30 will not be discharged through the second consumable channel 31, ensuring that the consumable output from the printhead assembly 30 in the printing position will not be contaminated by other consumables, thus ensuring print quality. Based on this, there is no need to perform material cutting and coating operations on the consumable in the extrusion component 12 corresponding to the printhead assembly 30 in the standby position, thereby further improving the consumable utilization rate and printing efficiency.

[0141] In this embodiment, referring to Figures 17 and 19, the baffle 70 has a closed surface 75. The closed surface 75 includes a third section 72 and a fourth section 73, which are connected circumferentially along the baffle 70. The fourth section 73 is recessed from the third section 72 along the first direction X, and the discharge port 71 is opened in the fourth section 73. The nozzle assembly 30 in the standby position abuts against the third section 72, and the nozzle assembly 30 in the printing position is fitted into the discharge port 71. By closing the nozzle assembly 30 in the standby position with the third section 72, it can be ensured that only the nozzle assembly 30 in the printing position can eject the molten consumable through the discharge port 71 during the printing process, avoiding the problem of consumable contamination during multi-consumable printing, thereby improving the printing quality.

[0142] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 17, the closed surface 75 further includes two second arc surfaces 74. The circumferential sides of the fourth surface segment 73 are connected to the third surface segment 72 by a circular transition through a second arc surface 74. In this way, the frictional resistance of the nozzle assembly 30 during the switching process between the third surface segment 72 and the fourth surface segment 73 can be reduced, and the switching smoothness can be improved.

[0143] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 17, the baffle 70 is connected to the switching member 42 to drive the baffle 70 to rotate synchronously, and to connect the second consumable of the printhead assembly 30 entering the printing position to the discharge port 71. In this way, no additional power source is required for the baffle 70, further simplifying the overall structure of the printhead 100 and reducing the weight of the printhead 100.

[0144] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 19, the printhead 100 further includes a second guide member 60. The second guide member 60 is connected to the side of the mounting bracket 20 opposite to the extrusion device 10 along the first direction X. The second guide member 60 has multiple second guide holes 61, which penetrate the second guide member 60 along the first direction X. Each printhead assembly 30 is movably fitted into one of the second guide holes 61 along the first direction X. In this way, the movement accuracy of the printhead assembly 30 along the third direction Z can be improved, thereby improving the accuracy of the selected printhead assembly 30 entering the printing position and improving printing accuracy.

[0145] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 11, the printhead 100 also includes a cover 90, the extrusion assembly 12, the mounting bracket 20, the nozzle assembly 30, the second elastic member 50, the second guide member 60 and the heat dissipation assembly 80 are all disposed inside the cover 90, and the material stop member 70 is disposed outside the cover 90.

[0146] The cover 90 includes a sixth wall 91, a seventh wall 92, and an eighth wall 93. The sixth wall 91 is located on one side of the mounting frame 20 along the third direction Z. The seventh wall 92 is bent and connected to the sixth wall 91 on one side along the second direction Y. The seventh wall 92 is located on one side of the mounting frame 20 along the second direction Y. The seventh wall 92 has two trigger holes 98, which correspond along the second direction Y to one end of the two slide grooves 211 of the mounting frame 20 along the second direction Y. The eighth wall 93 is bent and connected to the sixth wall 91 on the other side along the second direction Y. The eighth wall 93 is located on the other side of the mounting frame 20 along the second direction Y. The eighth wall 93 has two trigger holes 98, which correspond along the second direction Y to the other end of the two slide grooves 211 of the mounting frame 20 along the second direction Y. Thus, the first trigger part 3131 or the second trigger part 3132 can enter the slide groove 211 through the trigger holes 98 and then abut against the rack 411.

[0147] Optionally, the cover 90 is provided with a third clearance groove 97 on the upper side along the first direction X, and the connectors 18 of the multiple extrusion components 12 are all provided with the third clearance groove 97 so that the multiple Teflon tubes can pass through the third clearance groove 97 and be connected to the multiple connectors 18.

[0148] The cover 90 has a fourth clearance groove 99 on the lower side along the first direction X. The second guide 60 passes through the fourth clearance groove 99 at its lower end along the first direction X, and the lower end of the second guide 60 is located on the outside of the cover 90.

[0149] In this embodiment, referring to FIG11, the printhead 100 further includes a heat dissipation assembly 80, which is disposed on one side of the mounting bracket 20 and is used to cool the heat sink 34. The heat dissipation assembly 80 can improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat sink 34, thereby reducing the possibility of consumables clogging in the throat 33 and improving printing reliability.

[0150] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 11, the heat dissipation assembly 80 includes a first fan 81 and two second fans 82. The first fan 81 is located on one side of the mounting bracket 20 along the third direction Z, and the two second fans 82 are respectively located on opposite sides of the mounting bracket 20 along the second direction Y. The projection of the first fan 81 along the third direction Z is located on the heat sink 34, and the projection of the second fan 82 along the second direction Y is also located on the heat sink 34. The first fan 81 and the second fan 82 can exchange heat between the air inside the mounting bracket 20 and the outside air, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the nozzle assembly 30.

[0151] Optionally, the first fan 81 is a centrifugal fan, with the air intake side of the centrifugal fan corresponding to the heat sink 34, so that hot air inside the mounting bracket 20 enters the centrifugal fan and outputs the hot air to the outside of the mounting bracket 20.

[0152] Optionally, the second fan 82 is an axial fan, wherein the second fan 82 on one side of the mounting bracket 20 delivers air from the outside into the mounting bracket 20, and the second fan 82 on the other side of the mounting bracket 20 outputs air from the mounting bracket 20, thereby achieving the heat dissipation function of the heat sink 34.

[0153] In other embodiments, the number of first fans 81, the number of second fans 82, and their positional relationship with the mounting bracket 20 can be adjusted according to actual heat dissipation requirements. This embodiment does not impose specific limitations on these aspects.

[0154] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 11, the sixth wall 91 is provided with heat dissipation holes 94, and the first fan 81 is correspondingly arranged with the heat dissipation holes 94. The seventh wall 92 is provided with a first heat dissipation slot 95, and a second fan 82 is correspondingly arranged with the first heat dissipation slot 95. The eighth wall 93 is provided with a second heat dissipation slot 96, and another second fan 82 is correspondingly arranged with the second heat dissipation slot 96.

[0155] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the above preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions to the technical solutions of this application should not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of this application.

Claims

An extrusion apparatus, characterized in that, include: The frame is provided with a first consumable channel, which includes a feeding section and a discharging section. The feeding section and the discharging section are spaced apart and connected to each other along a first direction. An extrusion assembly is disposed between the feed section and the discharge section, and the extrusion assembly is configured to drive consumables to be conveyed within the first consumable channel; A movable component is movably disposed within the first consumable channel along a first direction. The movable component is configured to engage with the consumable passing through the first consumable channel in a frictional manner to generate resistance against the delivery of the consumable. A first elastic element, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the movable element and the frame, to provide an elastic force that resets the movable element. The extrusion apparatus according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The extrusion device further includes a first limiting part disposed in the first consumable channel. The first limiting part is disposed between the movable part and the extrusion assembly along a first direction to limit the stroke of the movable part. The extrusion apparatus according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The extrusion device further includes a first guide member and a first guide hole. The length direction of the first guide member is parallel to a first direction. One of the first guide member and the first guide hole is disposed in the frame and the other is disposed in the movable member. The first guide member is movably fitted into the first guide hole along the first direction. One of the first guide member and the first guide hole is disposed in the first limiting part. The extrusion apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is characterized in that: The movable component has a feeding hole, and the surface of the feeding hole is configured to frictionally engage with the consumable material passing through the feeding hole, so as to move along the conveying direction of the consumable material under the drive of the consumable material and generate resistance against the conveying of the consumable material. The extrusion apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is characterized in that: The extrusion device further includes a protrusion disposed in the first consumable channel, the protrusion being disposed between the movable member and the extrusion assembly along a first direction, and the first elastic member being disposed between the protrusion and the movable member. A printhead, characterized in that, include: Mounting rack; The extrusion apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 5; The nozzle assembly has a second consumable channel, the nozzle assembly is disposed on the mounting bracket, and the second consumable channel is connected to the discharge section of the first consumable channel of the extrusion device. The printhead according to claim 6 is characterized in that: The printhead includes the same number of extrusion devices and nozzle assemblies, each nozzle assembly being movably mounted on the mounting bracket, and the first consumable channel of each extrusion device correspondingly connecting to the second consumable channel of one nozzle assembly. The printhead according to claim 6 or 7 is characterized in that, Each of the printhead assemblies is movably switchable between a print position and a standby position; the printhead also includes a switching component for switching the position of each of the printhead assemblies so that the selected printhead assembly enters the print position and the unselected printhead assembly remains in the standby position. The printhead according to claim 8 is characterized in that: The switching assembly includes a power component and a switching component. The power component is movably mounted on the mounting frame along a second direction, and the switching component is rotatably mounted on the mounting frame. The power component and the switching component are in a transmission engagement. During the movement of the power component from the first position to the second position, the power component is configured to drive the switching component to rotate relative to the mounting bracket, thereby moving the selected printhead assembly to the printing position. The printhead according to claim 9 is characterized in that: The switching component includes a first gear, a rotating shaft, and a switching part. The rotating shaft extends along a first direction and is rotatable. The first gear is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft and the switching part is fixed to the rotating shaft. The switching part and the first gear are spaced apart along a first direction, and the plurality of nozzle assemblies abut against different circumferential positions of the switching part along the first direction. The power component includes a rack, which is movably mounted on the mounting bracket along a second direction. The rack meshes with the first gear and is used to drive the first gear to rotate, thereby driving the switching part to rotate via the rotating shaft, and thus pushing the selected printhead assembly to move to the printing position along the first direction. The printhead according to claim 10 is characterized in that: The switching part has a top surface, which includes a first surface segment and a second surface segment. The first surface segment and the second surface segment are connected circumferentially along the switching part, and the second surface segment protrudes from the first surface segment in a first direction. The printhead assembly abutted by the first surface segment is located in the standby position, and the printhead assembly abutted by the second surface segment is located in the printing position. The printhead according to any one of claims 9 to 11 is characterized in that: The mounting bracket includes a cover plate and a support. The cover plate is connected to the top surface of the support along a first direction. A plurality of nozzle assemblies are movably disposed on the support along the first direction. The surface of the cover plate facing the support along the first direction is provided with a groove and a clearance space. The groove extends through the cover plate along a second direction. The power component is movably engaged in the groove along the second direction. The clearance space is connected to the groove. The switching component is located in the clearance space. The printhead according to any one of claims 8 to 12 is characterized in that: The printhead also includes a plurality of second elastic elements, with at least one second elastic element disposed between the mounting bracket and each of the printhead assemblies. The second elastic elements are configured to apply an elastic force to the printhead assemblies to hold the other printhead assemblies besides the selected printhead assembly in the standby position. The printhead according to any one of claims 8 to 13 is characterized in that: The printhead also includes a second guide member, which is connected to the mounting bracket on the side opposite to the extrusion device along the first direction. The second guide member has multiple second guide holes, which penetrate the second guide member along the first direction. Each printhead assembly is movably fitted into one of the second guide holes along the first direction. The printhead according to any one of claims 8 to 14 is characterized in that: The switching component further includes a material stop, which is rotatably mounted on the mounting frame. The material stop is located on the side of the mounting frame opposite to the printhead assembly along a first direction. The material stop has a discharge port. The material stop is used to rotate relative to the mounting frame to a position where the discharge port communicates with the second consumable channel of the printhead assembly located in the printing position. The material stop is also used to close the second consumable channel of the printhead assembly located in the standby position. The printhead according to claim 15 is characterized in that: The material stop has a closed surface, which includes a third section and a fourth section. The third section and the fourth section are connected circumferentially along the material stop, and the fourth section is recessed from the third section along a first direction. The discharge port is opened in the fourth section. The printhead assembly in the standby position abuts against the third section, and the printhead assembly in the printing position cooperates with the discharge port. The printhead according to claim 15 is characterized in that: The switching assembly further includes a switching element rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket. The switching element is used to switch the position of each of the printhead assemblies so that the selected printhead assembly enters the printing position. The switching element is connected to the material stop to drive the material stop to rotate synchronously and to connect the second consumable of the printhead assembly that has entered the printing position to the discharge port. A 3D printing device, characterized in that, include: Mounting rack; The extrusion device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5 and / or the printhead as described in any one of claims 6 to 17, wherein the printhead is movably disposed on the mounting frame.

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