Material bin, 3D printing feeding apparatus and 3D printing device

Abstract

A material bin, a 3D printing feeding apparatus, and a 3D printing device. The material bin comprises a housing, a base, and an airflow partition plate; the housing defines an accommodating cavity; the base is accommodated in the accommodating cavity; the base is provided with an accommodating recess and a heating cavity, the accommodating recess is formed on the upper side of the base and is used for accommodating parts of a plurality of material trays, the heating cavity is provided on the lower side of the base, and a fan and a heating member are accommodated in the heating cavity; the airflow partition plate is connected to the bottom wall of the accommodating recess, the airflow partition plate divides the accommodating recess into at least two material tray partitions, the material tray partitions are used for placing the material trays, and the material tray partitions are provided with hot air holes; and at least two heating flow channels are formed on the side of the base facing away from the airflow partition plate, one end of each heating flow channel is in communication with the heating cavity, the other end of each heating flow channel is in communication with the corresponding hot air hole, and a valve is provided on each heating flow channel.

Description

Material hopper, 3D printing feeding device and 3D printing equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to international applications PCT / CN2024 / 116181 filed on August 31, 2024 and PCT / CN2024 / 137927 filed on December 9, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of 3D printing technology, specifically to a hopper, a 3D printing feeding device, and a 3D printing equipment. Background Technology

[0003] 3D printing equipment (also known as three-dimensional printers or stereo printers) constructs three-dimensional objects by printing layer by layer. A 3D printing device includes a print head for extruding printing material and a printing platform for depositing the printing material to form a three-dimensional object. The print head is configured to move relative to the printing platform, extruding printing material onto the surface of the printing platform as it moves. The printing material is deposited layer by layer on the surface of the printing platform and fused together to print a three-dimensional object.

[0004] With the development of 3D printing technology, people have increasingly higher demands for the diversity of colors or materials used in printed objects. How to meet the diverse needs of printed objects has gradually become a research hotspot. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a hopper, a 3D printing feeding device, and a 3D printing equipment to solve the problems of low airflow efficiency and heating efficiency in the hopper of existing 3D printing equipment.

[0006] To achieve the objectives of this application, the following technical solution is provided:

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides a hopper for a 3D printing feeding device, comprising a housing, a base, and an airflow baffle plate; the housing encloses a receiving cavity; the base is housed within the receiving cavity; the base has a receiving groove and a heating cavity, the receiving groove being formed on the upper side of the base and used to receive multiple material trays, the heating cavity being disposed on the lower side of the base, and the heating cavity housing a fan and a heating element; the airflow baffle plate is connected to the bottom wall of the receiving groove, the airflow baffle plate dividing the receiving groove into at least two material tray partitions, the material tray partitions being used to place the material trays, and the material tray partitions having hot air holes; the side of the base facing away from the airflow baffle plate has at least two heating channels, one end of the heating channel communicating with the heating cavity, the other end of the heating channel communicating with the hot air holes, and valves being provided on the heating channels.

[0008] In one embodiment, the base includes a first side and a second side opposite to each other in a first direction, the first side having a first support shaft and the second side having a second support shaft, and the airflow baffle plate extending along the first direction; the hopper also includes a cover, the cover being connected to the outer shell, and when the cover is closed to seal the receiving cavity, the airflow baffle plate, the first support shaft, the second support shaft, and the cover cooperate to block airflow between different tray sections.

[0009] In one embodiment, the hot air hole includes a first air hole and a second air hole, the first air hole being connected to the outlet of the heating chamber through the heating channel, and the second air hole being connected to the inlet of the heating chamber.

[0010] In one embodiment, the heating chamber is further provided with a hot air channel facing the receiving tank, the hot air channel is connected to an air outlet, and the hot air in the heating chamber is blown through the hot air channel to the material tray section located above the base; there is a gap between the base and the outer shell, and / or, the base is provided with a gap, and the fan is introduced through the gap.

[0011] In one embodiment, the base has a return air vent on the side facing away from the material tray, and the hopper also includes a partition cover. The partition cover and the base together enclose the heating chamber, and the partition cover has a vent hole. The air outlet of the fan faces the heating channel, and the fan includes two air inlets arranged opposite to each other. One air inlet faces the second air hole, and the other air inlet faces the vent hole. The fan draws the gas in the pores into the heating chamber through the vent hole, and the area of ​​the air outlet is larger than the opening area of ​​any of the pores.

[0012] In one embodiment, the first air hole is close to the first support shaft, and the second air hole is close to the second support shaft; or, along the axis of the material tray, the first air hole and the second air hole are respectively disposed on both sides of the axis.

[0013] In one embodiment, each of the tray partitions is connected to the fan via the heating channel; the heating channel is provided with a plurality of valves, which are used to control the opening and closing of a corresponding heating channel to select one or more tray partitions for heating; or, the valves are connected to a plurality of heating channels and control the opening and closing of the plurality of heating channels by changing their positions to select one tray partition for heating.

[0014] In one embodiment, the hopper further includes at least two second air ducts that enclose the heating channel. One end of the second air duct is connected to the heating chamber and discharges the airflow in the heating chamber. The other end of the second air duct extends to a position in the receiving cavity away from the heating chamber. The second air duct is used to transport the hot airflow to different positions in the receiving cavity.

[0015] In one embodiment, the valve includes a one-way seal and a power component. The power component drives airflow in the valve. When the power component is activated, the one-way seal opens to open the heating channel. When the power component is deactivated, the one-way seal closes to block the heating channel. Alternatively, the power component drives the one-way seal in the valve to open to open the heating channel. When the power component is deactivated, the one-way seal closes to block the heating channel.

[0016] In one embodiment, the one-way seal is elastic, and the power component includes a fan.

[0017] In one embodiment, the hopper further includes an air valve connected to the outer casing. The air valve is located in a heating cavity between the lower side of the base and the outer casing. The air valve is used to open or close the airflow channel between the external space of the hopper and the receiving cavity.

[0018] In one embodiment, the air valve includes a baffle, a base, and a drive mechanism connected together. An airflow passage is formed between the base and the baffle. The drive mechanism is movable and used to drive the baffle to move relative to the base to open or close the airflow passage.

[0019] In one embodiment, the drive mechanism includes at least one of a rocker arm, a gear, a connecting rod, a cam, a screw, and an electromagnetic coil.

[0020] In one embodiment, the hopper further includes a drive unit, which includes a drive component, a drive wheel, and a cleaning component. The drive component drives the drive wheel to rotate so that the drive wheel can transport or retract materials. The cleaning component cooperates with the outer peripheral surface of the drive wheel to scrape off material debris from the drive wheel under the drive of the drive component.

[0021] In one embodiment, the outer shell is further provided with an air inlet, which is connected to the receiving cavity. The base is provided with a return air port, and the space between the air inlet and the return air port forms an air intake channel. The air intake channel is used for the fan to intake air from outside the silo. An air intake valve is also provided on the air intake channel for controlling the opening or closing of the air intake channel.

[0022] In one embodiment, the base also has a connecting cavity for containing a desiccant. An air duct connects the heating cavity and the connecting cavity, and the base separates the air duct from the receiving slot. The heating element is located between the fan and the air duct, and the air blown by the fan passes through the heating element and enters the air duct and the connecting cavity.

[0023] Secondly, this application also provides a 3D printing feeding device, which includes a material tray and a hopper as described in the above embodiments. The receiving slot is used to receive the material tray, and the material tray is used to carry the material.

[0024] Thirdly, this application also provides a 3D printing device, which includes a 3D printer and the 3D printing feeding device described in the second aspect.

[0025] This application provides a method to independently separate the material trays into different tray sections by adding an airflow baffle plate in the receiving tank. By opening hot air holes in the tray sections and connecting the heating chambers of the hot air holes with heating channels, users can control the conduction of different heating channels through valves, thereby setting drying parameters for different material trays and lines. At the same time, the hot air intake through the hot air holes can reuse the hot air in the heating chamber, reducing the overall heating power of the machine. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 is an external view of a silo according to one embodiment;

[0028] Figure 2 is an external view of the casing according to one embodiment;

[0029] Figure 3 shows a front view and a top view of the base according to one embodiment;

[0030] Figure 4 is an external view of the base according to one embodiment;

[0031] Figure 5A is an enlarged view of the area circled by the dashed line in Figure 3;

[0032] Figure 5B is an enlarged view of a guide vane according to one embodiment;

[0033] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a silo according to one embodiment;

[0034] Figure 7 is a top view of the base according to another embodiment;

[0035] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the air duct between the heating chamber and the connecting chamber in one embodiment;

[0036] Figure 9 is a rear view of the casing according to one embodiment;

[0037] Figure 10 is a rear view of the base according to one embodiment;

[0038] Figure 11 is a rear view of the casing from another perspective;

[0039] Figure 12 is an external view of the drive unit according to one embodiment;

[0040] Figure 13 is an external view of the drive unit according to another embodiment;

[0041] Figure 14 is a side view of the drive unit according to one embodiment;

[0042] Figure 15 is an external view of a damper according to one embodiment;

[0043] Figure 16 is an exploded view of a damper according to one embodiment;

[0044] Figure 17 is an exploded view of the air valve in one embodiment from another perspective;

[0045] Figure 18 is a top view of the base according to one embodiment;

[0046] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of a valve installed in a heating channel according to one embodiment.

[0047] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100-hopper, 101-outer shell, 102-cover, 103-base, 104-heating component, 105-air valve, 107-multi-port component, 108-receiving cavity, 109-fan, 110-heating component, 111-receiving groove, 112-wiring groove, 113-heating cavity, 114-air outlet, 115-bore, 116-first side, 117-second side, 118-wiring sub-groove, 119-first edge, 120-second edge, 121-connecting cavity, 122-connecting part, 124-shell bottom plate, 125-shell side plate, 126-hole, 127-guide plate, 128-exhaust part, 129-hot air vent 130-Exhaust port, 131-Air outlet, 132-Return air inlet, 133-First gap, 134-Second gap, 135-Separation cover, 136-Ventilation hole, 137-Air duct, 138-First wall panel, 139-First hole, 140-Second wall panel, 141-Second hole, 142-First air duct, 143-Control valve, 144-Second air duct, 145-Main second air duct, 146-Second secondary air duct, 147-Air inlet; 300-Drive unit, 301-Drive component, 302-Active drive wheel, 303-Driven drive wheel, 304-Housing, 305-Drive section, 306-Drive shaft, 307-Airflow channel, 308-Heat dissipation fins, 309-Heat dissipation channel, 310-Fan blade, 311-Drive gear, 312-Rotating shaft, 313-Accelerating gear, 314-Cleanup component, 315-Inlet, 316-Outlet, 317-Pressing component, 318-Rotating shaft, 319-Linkage structure, 320-Reset spring; 511-Swing arm; 5111-Arm body; 5113-Connecting part; 5115-Anti-detachment buckle; 513-Baffle; 5131-First slide groove; 5132-First connecting hole; 5133-First sliding part; 5134-First edge; 5135-Second edge; 5136-Third edge; 5137-Fourth edge; 515-Base; 5151-Second connecting hole; 5153-Second sliding part; 5155-Rib; 517-Base plate; 5171-Third connecting hole; 5173-Flange; 5175-Snap-on; 518-Electromagnet; 519-Permanent magnet; 520-Sealing ring; 601-Airflow baffle plate; 602-Plate partition; 603-Hot air hole; 604-First air hole; 605-Second air hole; 606-Heating flow channel; 607-First support shaft; 608-Second support shaft; 609-One-way seal; 610-Power component; 611-Valve; X-First direction; Y-Second direction; Z-Third direction. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0049] 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 it can be in a middle component. When a component is said to be "connected" to another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or it may be in a middle component.

[0050] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terminology used in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used in this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0051] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0052] This application provides a material hopper 100, as shown in Figure 1, for a 3D printing feeding device. The material hopper 100 is used to store material trays. In a specific embodiment, the material hopper 100 provided in this application can hold multiple material trays, and the material hopper 100 can selectively output material from one of the material trays. Optionally, the material tray is disc-shaped, and the material tray includes a disc body and linear material (hereinafter referred to as material) wound around the disc body. The material is wound around the disc body in circles. When material needs to be output, the material hopper 100 drives the material tray to rotate, so that the rotation of the disc body drives the material to be released from the disc body.

[0053] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 1 to 3, the hopper 100 includes a shell 101, a cover 102, a base 103, and a heating assembly 104. The shell 101 encloses a receiving cavity 108. The base 103 is received in the receiving cavity 108. The base 103 has a receiving groove 111, a wiring groove 112, and a heating cavity 113. The receiving groove 111 is formed on the upper side of the base and is used to receive multiple trays. At least a portion of the bottom wall of the receiving groove is adapted to the shape of the trays. The heating cavity 113 is disposed on the lower side of the base 103. At least a portion of the wiring groove 112 is recessed relative to the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111. An air outlet 114 is formed on the side wall of the wiring groove 112, and the air outlet 114 connects the heating cavity 113 and the wiring groove 112. The heating assembly 104 is received in the heating cavity 113 and includes a fan 109 and a heating element 110.

[0054] In a specific embodiment, please refer to Figure 1. The outer shell 101 includes a first direction X, a second direction Y, and a third direction Z. The first direction X is the length direction of the outer shell 101, the second direction Y is the width direction of the outer shell 101, and the third direction Z is the height direction of the outer shell 101. It should be noted that the second direction Y is also the axial direction after the material tray is placed. Of course, the above three directions also apply to the description of the base 103. The base 103 includes a front and a back. When the material hopper 100 is placed on the working surface, the back of the base 103 faces the working surface, and the front faces away from the working surface. Optionally, the working surface of the 3D printing feeding device can be a tabletop or a ground surface.

[0055] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 2, the cover 102 and the outer shell 101 are rotatably connected, and the open end faces of the cover 102 and the outer shell 101 are sealed together. When the cover 102 is opened, the opening of the outer shell 101 is exposed, and the tray is placed into the receiving cavity 108 through the opening and rests on the base 103. When the cover 102 is closed, the receiving cavity 108 is sealed, and the material is discharged from the tray through perforations in the outer shell 101.

[0056] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 3, the base 103 is a one-piece molded structure, and its manufacturing method includes, but is not limited to, injection molding, compression molding, 3D printing, etc. It is understood that the base 103 is a large, one-piece molded part, composed of horizontal / vertical ribs and partitions. Some of the horizontal / vertical ribs or partitions are connected to the inner wall of the outer shell 101, and some of the horizontal / vertical ribs or partitions are interconnected. Therefore, the space in the base 103 is obtained by dividing the receiving cavity 108 through these horizontal / vertical ribs or partitions.

[0057] In one embodiment, the base is composed of multiple parts, which are combined to form horizontal / vertical ribs and partitions. Some of the horizontal / vertical ribs or partitions are connected to the inner wall of the outer shell 101, and some of the horizontal / vertical ribs or partitions are connected to each other. The base 103 divides the receiving cavity 108 into different spatial partitions through the horizontal / vertical ribs or partitions.

[0058] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 3, the heating assembly 104 includes a fan 109 and a heating element 110. The fan 109 is used to create a circulating airflow environment in the receiving cavity 108, and the heating element 110 is used to heat the gas in the receiving cavity 108, so that the air in the receiving cavity 108 forms a hot airflow. In a specific implementation, the fan 109 can draw in gas from a portion of the receiving cavity 108 and blow it out to other positions, thereby creating an internal airflow circulation. In one embodiment, the fan 109 can draw in external gas into the receiving cavity 108 as needed, thereby accelerating the airflow circulation. In another embodiment, the fan 109 can be used to discharge highly humid air from the receiving cavity 108 into the silo, so that the receiving cavity has a dry environment.

[0059] In existing 3D printing equipment, the feeding device merely serves to store the material tray. However, because 3D printing requires a high degree of material dryness, most existing feeding devices cannot provide the function of drying the material, resulting in poor product quality from 3D printing equipment.

[0060] To ensure effective and sustained drying, feeding devices often incorporate numerous seals to minimize the intrusion of humid air. However, these seals complicate the device's structure and increase costs. Therefore, a key technical challenge is achieving a compact layout while fulfilling both feeding and drying functions, thereby reducing its overall size. Solving this problem requires comprehensive consideration of airflow paths and the placement of functional components. The design of the components and structural shapes within the feeding device must fully utilize the hopper space and achieve uniform airflow distribution for efficient dehumidification. Failure to properly consider the airflow layout will result in localized heating of the material, leaving some parts undried.

[0061] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 3 and 4, a receiving groove 111 is formed above the base 103 along the third direction Z. The receiving groove 111 is used to receive a tray. The tray is placed in the receiving groove 111, specifically on the front side of the base 103, that is, the tray is located above the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111 in the third direction Z. It should be explained that the receiving groove 111 is designed to receive a circular tray, so the receiving groove 111 is an arc-shaped groove formed by recessing downward from the front side of the base 103, by setting the base to have an arc-shaped portion that adapts to the disc shape of the tray.

[0062] In a specific embodiment, the base 103 is generally low in the middle and high on both sides, that is, along the first direction X, the two ends of the base 103 are higher than the middle of the base 103. This design allows the base 103 to adapt to the shape of the tray and divide the hopper, thus creating a more rational layout and making full use of the space within the hopper. Furthermore, the arc-shaped receiving groove 111 of the base 103 is designed to cooperate with the cover 102 in the above embodiment. In one embodiment, the cover 102 is also arc-shaped, so that the arc-shaped receiving groove 111 of the base 103 and the arc-shaped cover 102 can together form a receiving space adapted to the circular tray. By conforming the shape of the cover 102 and the base 103, unnecessary volume within the hopper can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of air within the hopper, facilitating rapid drying of the hopper and reducing the absolute moisture content in the air within the hopper.

[0063] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111 is recessed downwards (in the third direction Z) to form a wire routing groove 112. That is, the wire routing groove 112 is recessed relative to the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111. The material in the tray extends along a preset direction under the constraint of the wire routing groove 112. When the base 103 is placed on the working surface, the bottom wall of the wire routing groove 112 and the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111 are not at the same horizontal level. In a specific embodiment, the tray includes a tray body and linear material wound on the tray body. The tray is placed in the receiving groove 111, and its radial direction is the third direction Z. One end of the linear material extends into the wire routing groove 112, and the linear material flows along the extension direction of the wire routing groove 112. This ensures that the tube or wire material set in the wire routing groove will not interfere with the tray, and the tube or multi-port component in the wire routing groove can be operated from the front after opening the cover, without having to remove the outer shell or base for maintenance or operation, thus improving the convenience of use.

[0064] In a specific embodiment, the extension direction of the cable tray 112 is adapted to the winding direction of the linear material on the tray. When the tray is placed on the base 103, the radial direction of the tray is the third direction Z, and the tray rolls axially in the second direction Y to allow the linear material to begin feeding. Therefore, the linear material can feed along the first direction X to exit the hopper 100. Thus, the extension direction of the cable tray 112 is the first direction X.

[0065] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 3 to 5A, a heating chamber 113 is disposed inside a base 103. A heating assembly 104 is placed in the heating chamber 113 and provides hot air so that hot air can be blown out of the heating chamber 113. An air outlet 114 is provided on the side wall of the wiring trough 112, connecting the heating chamber 113 and the wiring trough 112. The heating chamber 113 and the wiring trough 112 are separated by the side wall of the wiring trough 112 to form two independent spaces; that is, the two opposite sides of the side wall of the wiring trough 112 are the wiring trough 112 and the heating chamber 113, respectively. Since the air outlet 114 is provided on the side wall of the wiring trough 112, the air outlet 114 can connect the heating chamber 113 and the wiring trough 112, and the hot air generated in the heating chamber 113 can flow into the wiring trough 112 through the air outlet 114. Specifically, the wiring trough 112 can guide the hot airflow in the heating chamber to the central area of ​​the base. After the hot airflow is blown out from the center of the base, it spreads upward and then spreads to the periphery of the hopper after encountering the cover. This allows the hot airflow in the hopper to be spread and distributed as evenly as possible, so that the material in each area can be dried at approximately the same rate, thereby improving the overall drying efficiency.

[0066] It is understandable that the front of the base 103 is recessed downwards to form the receiving groove 111, and the back of the base 103 is recessed towards the material tray to form the heating cavity 113. Therefore, the top wall of the heating cavity 113 is the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111. At the same time, the wiring groove 112 is further recessed on the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111, so that the side wall of the wiring groove 112 is also the side wall of the heating cavity 113. By injection molding the base 103 into a preset shape, and integrating the receiving groove 111, the heating cavity 113, and the wiring groove 112 on the base 103, not only can the number of parts be reduced, but the base 103 is also easy to assemble.

[0067] This application provides a receiving groove 111 and a heating chamber 113 in the base 103, and a cable tray 112 is provided on the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111. The linear material on the tray contained in the receiving groove 111 is discharged from the hopper 100 through the cable tray 112, making full use of the space at the bottom of the receiving groove 111 to realize the feeding function of the hopper 100. Furthermore, by providing an air outlet 114 on the side wall of the cable tray 112 to connect with the heating chamber 113, the airflow provided by the heating chamber 113 can enter the cable tray 112. The airflow diffuses in the cable tray 112 to heat and dry the linear material in the cable tray 112. The distance between the air outlet 114 and the tray is increased, which facilitates the diffusion of airflow. In addition, when the hopper is full of trays, the cable tray 112 can provide more flow paths for the hot airflow, avoiding the formation of local high temperatures due to the blockage of the hot airflow. Moreover, the hot airflow flows along the cable tray and can flow directly to the outer periphery of the tray and contact the material in a shorter path, thereby improving the drying efficiency. Since the cable tray 112 is located at the bottom of the base 103, the hot air will diffuse upward, so that the upward diffused hot air can cover all the trays, thereby further heating and drying the trays.

[0068] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 3 and 4, the base 103 includes a first side 116 and a second side 117 opposite each other in the first direction X. A cable tray 112 extends and converges from the first side 116 toward the second side 117. Along the first direction X, an air outlet 114 is located at the center of the sidewall of the cable tray 112. The cable tray 112 is centered along the second direction Y at one end near the second side 117, where the first direction X intersects the second direction Y.

[0069] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 3 and 4, the base 103 includes at least one boss 115, which is received in a wiring groove 112. The boss 115 extends from a first side 116 to a second side 117. The boss 115 divides the wiring groove 112 into at least two wiring sub-grooves 118 spaced apart in the second direction Y. The at least two wiring sub-grooves 118 are spaced apart near the first side 116 and converge or approach each other near the second side 117. The air outlet 114 is located on the sidewall of the outermost wiring sub-grooves 118 in the second direction Y.

[0070] Specifically, the boss 115 is connected to the bottom wall of the wiring trough 112, thus protruding from the bottom wall of the wiring trough 112. The boss 115 extends along the first direction X, thereby dividing the wiring trough 112 into at least two wiring sub-troughs 118. It should be explained that the opposite first side 116 and second side 117 on the base 103 are the two higher ends of the receiving groove 111. Since the wiring trough 112 extends along the first direction X to constrain material flow, one boss 115 can divide the wiring sub-trough 118 into two wiring sub-troughs 118.

[0071] In a specific embodiment, the hopper 100 can accommodate four trays, which are symmetrically and evenly arranged in the receiving groove 111. There can be three bosses 115, with a spacing between them. The two outermost bosses 115 are also spaced apart from the sidewall of their corresponding nearest wiring groove 112. Therefore, the three bosses 115 divide the wiring groove 112 into four wiring sub-grooves 118, each of which carries a linear material.

[0072] Viewed from the front of the base 103, the wiring channel 112 is fan-shaped, and it tapers towards the second side 117. This is because linear materials from multiple trays flow from the first side 116 to the second side 117, and all exit the 3D printing feeding device from the second side 117 via a single outlet. Therefore, the wiring channel 112 needs to have a taper structure to constrain the path of the multiple linear materials.

[0073] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 3 and 4, multiple wiring sub-slots 118 are spaced apart near the first side 116, so that each wiring sub-slot 118 corresponds to a tray. Adjacent wiring sub-slots 118 are separated by a boss 115, so that the two wiring sub-slots 118 are spaced apart. The boss 115 extends along the first direction X, and the height of the boss 115 gradually decreases. It can be understood that the base 103 presents a posture of being low in the middle and high on both sides, so the boss 115 extending along the first direction X should also have the highest height near the first side 116, and the lowest height of the boss 115 at the middle of the base 103. In one embodiment, the bottom plate of the outer shell is flat, and the base and the bottom plate of the outer shell can cooperate to form accommodating spaces on the first and second sides. These spaces can be used to arrange PCB boards, heating components, desiccants, multi-channel components, and drive components, thereby making the overall layout compact, improving space utilization and reducing unnecessary volume. In order for multiple wiring sub-slots 118 to converge near the second side 117, the two ends of the boss 115 along the first direction X should be arranged such that one end is high and the other end is low.

[0074] This application adds a boss 115 to the bottom wall of the wiring trough 112, and uses the boss 115 to divide the wiring trough 112 into multiple wiring sub-troughs 118, so that the silo 100 can install multiple trays at the same time, and each tray can be fed through a wiring sub-trough 118. Different materials will not interfere with each other, which increases the discharge efficiency and stability of the silo 100. At the same time, the boss 115 also plays a role in guiding the airflow in the wiring trough 112. The outer periphery of the boss 115 can guide and diffuse the airflow to the entire wiring trough 112, thereby improving the diffusion efficiency of the airflow in the wiring trough 112, and the area of ​​upward diffusion of hot airflow is larger, which is more conducive to the heat flow covering the entire tray. The wiring sub-slots 118 extend from the first side 116 toward the second side 117, and multiple wiring sub-slots 118 converge near the second side 117, so that multiple material trays share a single material outlet. Therefore, the hopper 100 can realize the function of converting and printing various materials, thereby printing colorful and diverse printed parts.

[0075] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 3 and 4, the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111 is curved, and the side walls of the wiring groove 112 extend in an arc. Specifically, the wiring groove 112 includes a first side wall 116 and a second side wall 117 opposite to each other, wherein the air outlet 114 is formed on the first side wall 116, and both the first side wall 116 and the second side wall 117 extend in an arc. Optionally, the first side wall 116 protrudes towards the second side wall 117 to form an arc surface, and the second side wall 117 protrudes towards the first side wall 116 to form an arc surface.

[0076] The bottom wall of the receiving groove 111 is curved to accommodate the shape of the material tray, so that the material tray can rotate in the receiving groove 111 without interference; and the side wall of the wiring groove 112 extends in an arc shape, which can facilitate the guidance of airflow in the wiring groove 112, making the airflow path smoother and reducing convection and turbulence in the hopper 100.

[0077] In one embodiment, referring to FIG5A, the air outlet 114 includes a first edge 119 and a second edge 120 arranged at relative intervals. The first edge 119 and the second edge 120 are located at the connection between the side wall of the air outlet and the cable tray. The line A connecting the first edge 119 and the second edge 120 has an angle α1 with the projection of the second direction Y on the bottom wall of the housing. The angle α1 ranges from 40° to 70°.

[0078] Specifically, the air outlet 114 is located on the side wall of the cable tray 112. A first edge 119 and a second edge 120 are spaced apart, and the space between the first edge 119 and the second edge 120 constitutes the air outlet 114. The line A connecting the first edge 119 and the second edge 120 is the line segment representing the distance between them. This line A intersects both the first direction X and the second direction Y, and forms an angle α1 with the second direction Y. Optionally, the angle α1 can be 40°, 50°, 60°, or 70°. By making the air outlet form an angle with respect to the second direction Y, the hot airflow from the outlet has both a velocity component towards the second direction Y and a velocity component towards the first direction X, allowing the hot airflow to diffuse simultaneously towards both directions X and Y, resulting in a more uniform airflow diffusion.

[0079] This application configures the air outlet 114 on the side wall of the wiring trough 112 with an included angle α1. This allows for more uniform airflow diffusion from the air outlet 114 and increases the outlet diameter. The airflow diffuses upwards from the centrally located wiring trough 112, resulting in more uniform upward airflow. A single air outlet 114 can achieve the effect of two outlets, making the airflow path smoother and saving space. Furthermore, when the included angle α1 is within the aforementioned range, it ensures that the hot air emitted from the heating chamber 113 can be blown as much as possible towards the wiring trough 112, and the airflow direction is as far towards the material as possible, thereby improving the efficiency of heating the material and ensuring more uniform airflow diffusion.

[0080] In one embodiment, referring to FIG5B, the base 103 further includes a guide plate 127, which is disposed at the air outlet 114. The guide plate 127 and the projection of the second direction Y on the bottom wall of the housing 101 have an angle α2, which is in the range of 40° to 70°.

[0081] Specifically, multiple guide vanes 127 are provided at the air outlet 114 to guide the airflow direction at the air outlet 114. In the third direction Z, the two opposite ends of the guide vanes 127 are connected to the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111 and the bottom wall of the wiring groove 112, respectively. Optionally, the included angle α2 can be 40°, 50°, 60°, or 70°. By making the air outlet have an angle relative to the second direction Y, the hot airflow blown out of the air outlet has both a velocity component towards the second direction Y and a velocity component towards the first direction X, so that the hot airflow can diffuse simultaneously towards the first direction X and the second direction Y, making the exhaust airflow diffusion more uniform.

[0082] This application provides a guide plate 127 at the air outlet 114 to guide the airflow emitted from the air outlet 114 towards the cable tray 112 in a preset direction. This not only increases the diffusion effect of the airflow but also guides the airflow to diffuse in the desired direction. When the included angle α2 is within the aforementioned range, it ensures that as much of the hot air emitted from the heating chamber 113 as possible can be blown towards the cable tray 112, and the airflow is diffused more evenly through the guide plate 127.

[0083] In one embodiment, the cable tray 112 includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to each other. One of the first sidewall and the second sidewall has a first recess, and the second sidewall has a second recess. The first recess and the second recess are arranged opposite to each other. The air outlet 114 is opened at the first recess. The first recess is centrally located relative to the bottom wall of the outer casing. The projection point of the center point of the line A connecting the first edge 119 and the second edge 120 on the bottom wall is O. The line segment of the bottom wall passing through point O along the first direction is AB, and the line segment of the bottom wall passing through point O along the second direction is CD. OA / AB is between 0.35 and 0.65, and / or OC / CD is between 0.35 and 0.65.

[0084] In one embodiment, the first sidewall and the second sidewall each have a second recess. The hopper also includes a multi-passage member 107, which is disposed at the intersection of multiple wiring sub-slots 118. Each wiring sub-slot 118 is used to accommodate an internal guide tube, which extends into the multi-passage member 107. Along the first direction X, the first recess and the second recess are disposed closer to the intersection of the wiring sub-slots 118.

[0085] In one embodiment, the heating chamber 113 is further provided with a hot air passage 129 facing the receiving groove 111, and the base 103 is further provided with an exhaust section 128. The hot air passage 129 is connected to the air outlet 114. The exhaust section 128 is located on the side away from the air supply direction of the air outlet 114, or on the side deviating from the air supply direction of the air outlet 114. The exhaust section 128 is connected to the air passage between the receiving groove and the heating chamber, and / or, the exhaust section is connected to the air passage between the receiving groove and the outside of the outer shell.

[0086] The base 103 is also provided with an exhaust section 128. On the one hand, the exhaust section 128 is used to expel the gas and moisture contained in the container, thereby keeping the container 111 dry; on the other hand, the exhaust section 128 is used to guide the airflow to other positions in the hopper 100, so that the airflow can circulate within the hopper 100. It should be explained that the hot air channel 129 is a channel formed by airflow delivered through the heating chamber 113. The airflow is blown into the container 111 in the direction of the hot air channel 129 and diffuses in the container 111, so that the hot air can cover the outer periphery of the tray.

[0087] Understandably, the exhaust section 128 is positioned offset from the airflow direction of the hot air passage 129, so the airflow delivered by the hot air passage 129 does not directly pass through the exhaust section 128. Therefore, the airflow delivered to the receiving tank 111 through the hot air passage 129 can first circulate in the receiving tank 111, and then when the moisture content in the receiving tank 111 is high, the airflow is discharged through the exhaust section 128. This allows the drying process to have both rapid heating and dehumidification effects.

[0088] The wiring trough 112 and heating chamber 113 provide an excellent airflow environment inside the hopper 100, allowing the hot airflow in the hopper 100 to dry not only the material on the tray but also the edges and materials in the wiring trough 112, thus achieving multiple drying purposes. However, guiding the airflow and removing moisture from the airflow are crucial during the drying process.

[0089] Therefore, this application forms a hot air channel 129 on the base 103, and the exhaust section 128 is located on the side away from the air supply direction of the air outlet 114, or on the side deviating from the air supply direction of the air outlet 114. That is, the exhaust section 128 is located away from the hot air channel 129. The (hot) airflow discharged from the hot air channel 129 will not pass directly through the exhaust section 128, but will first heat the drying tray in the receiving tank 111. When the air pressure in the receiving tank 111 is too high or the drying effect is achieved (for example, the temperature rises to a certain range and the relative humidity is in a certain range), some airflow can be released through the exhaust section 128, thereby realizing gas circulation. During this process, the airflow path is large, and the (hot) airflow will not be directly discharged from the hopper, thereby carrying away more humid air and improving the dehumidification effect.

[0090] In one embodiment, the heating chamber 113 and the exhaust section 128 are disposed closer to the second side 117 than the first side, and the wiring groove 112 is located between the heating chamber 113 and the exhaust section 128.

[0091] In one embodiment, the air supply direction of the hot air channel 129 is towards the upper part of the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111, and the exhaust part 128 includes a connecting cavity 121 and an exhaust port 130. The connecting cavity 121 is recessed relative to the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111 so that the gas in the receiving groove 111 flows to the connecting cavity 121. The exhaust port 130 is at least partially facing the lower part of the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111, and the exhaust port 130 connects the connecting cavity 121 and the gap between the base 103 and the outer shell 101.

[0092] Specifically, the connecting cavity 121 is formed by a recess in the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111, so the connecting cavity 121 and the receiving groove 111 are connected. The connecting cavity 121 and the heating cavity 113 are arranged along the second direction Y, and both the connecting cavity 121 and the heating cavity 113 are close to the second side 117 of the base 103. In the above embodiment, the multi-pass component 107 and the wiring groove 112 connecting the multi-pass component 107 are located between the connecting cavity 121 and the heating cavity 113.

[0093] In a specific embodiment, viewed from the front of the base 103, the heating cavity 113 is located on the left side of the wiring groove 112, and the first side wall 116 of the wiring groove 112 separates the wiring groove 112 and the heating cavity 113; the connecting cavity 121 is located on the right side of the wiring groove 112, and the second side wall 117 of the wiring groove 112 separates the wiring groove 112 and the connecting cavity 121. Furthermore, based on the above embodiment, the wiring groove 112 is further recessed on the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111, so that the side wall of the wiring groove 112 is also the side wall of the connecting cavity 121.

[0094] This application also provides a connecting cavity 121 in the base 103, and the connecting cavity 121 is recessed relative to the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111. Therefore, the connecting cavity 121 and the receiving groove 111 are connected in the third direction Z. The hot airflow rising through the wiring groove 112 continues to sink into the connecting cavity 121 after heating the drying tray. The desiccant in the connecting cavity 121 can absorb the moisture in the airflow, thereby reducing the humidity in the hopper 100.

[0095] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 2 and 9, the hopper also includes an air valve 105. An air outlet 131 is provided on the outer shell 101. The space between the air outlet 131 and the exhaust port 130 forms an airflow channel 307. The air valve 105 is provided on the airflow channel 307 and is used to control the airflow channel 307 to open or close. The receiving groove 111 is located on the upper side of the base, and the airflow channel 307 is located on the lower side of the base 103.

[0096] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 2 and 9, the outer shell 101 has a hexahedral structure and includes a bottom plate 124 and a side plate 125 connected to each other. The side plate 125 is annular and surrounds the outer periphery of the base 103. An air outlet 131 is opened on the side plate 125. An air valve 105 is disposed on the side wall of the connecting cavity 121, or the air valve 105 is disposed on the side wall of the side plate 125 facing the connecting cavity 121. Along the line connecting the exhaust port and the air outlet, the distance between the side wall of the connecting cavity 121 and the side plate 125 is 30mm to 50mm. By limiting the gap between the side wall of the connecting cavity 121 and the shell side plate 125, the possibility of condensation in the silo can be minimized. This is because when the high-temperature air in the silo is discharged to the low-temperature environment outside, the high-temperature and humid air is easy to condense after encountering the cold. If the gap value is large, it will prolong the convergence length of the hot and cold air, thereby increasing the risk of condensation. At the same time, the gap value cannot be too small, otherwise it will be inconvenient to install the accommodating air valve.

[0097] Specifically, the outer shell 101 has a hexahedral structure. The bottom plate 124 is quadrilateral, and the side plate 125 is formed by four sequentially connected sub-plates, so the outline of the outer shell 101 is hexahedral. This application designs the outer shell 101 of the hopper 100 as a hexahedral structure. The heat flow blown out of the heating chamber 113, after passing through the wiring groove 112, can diffuse along the length direction (first direction X) and width direction (second direction Y) of the outer shell 101, thus facilitating the uniform distribution of hot air in the hopper 100, thereby achieving the effect of heating and drying the material. Optionally, the distance between the side wall of the connecting cavity 121 and the side plate 125 can be 30mm, 40mm, or 50mm.

[0098] An air outlet 131 is provided on the shell side plate 125 of the outer casing 101, and the air outlet 131 can be arranged opposite to the exhaust port 130; or, in other embodiments, the air outlet 131 is arranged opposite to the side wall of the connecting cavity 121. The air outlet 131 connects the exhaust port 130 and the external space. An air valve 105 is provided at the air outlet 131, which can be used to connect the airflow inside and outside the hopper, thereby regulating the humidity in the receiving cavity 108.

[0099] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 3, the air inlet surface of the fan 109 faces away from the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111; the orthographic projection of line B connecting the center point of the fan blade and the center point of the air outlet 114, and line C connecting the center point of the fan blade and the center point of the exhaust port 130 on the bottom plate 124 of the casing forms an angle β1, which is 20° to 50°. Optionally, the angle β1 can be 20°, 30°, 40°, or 50°.

[0100] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 3, the air inlet surface of the fan 109 faces away from the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111; the line B connecting the center point of the fan blade and the center point of the air outlet 114, and the line K connecting the center point of the fan blade and the center point of the air outlet 131, have an angle β2 on the orthogonal projection of their projections onto the bottom plate 124, where the angle β2 is 25° to 55°. Optionally, the angle β2 can be 25°, 35°, 45°, or 55°.

[0101] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 3, the base 103 is provided with a return air vent 132 on the side facing away from the material tray. The return air vent 132 connects the heating chamber 113 and the airflow channel 307. There is a gap 126 between the base 103 and the outer shell 101, and / or, the base is provided with a gap 126. The gap 126 is used to guide the airflow between the return air vent 132 and the receiving groove 111. The fan 109 enters the air through the return air vent 132, through the gap 126 and the airflow channel.

[0102] Understandably, the base 103 is inserted into the housing through the opening of the outer shell 101 and along the side wall of the shell. Therefore, the outer periphery of the base 103 should conform to the inner contour of the housing cavity 108 to ensure that the base 103 and the outer shell 101 are properly fitted and to prevent the base 103 from becoming loose and wobbling inside the outer shell 101. However, an overly tight fit between the outer shell 101 and the base 103 is also not conducive to the circulation of gas within the hopper 100, nor to the fan 109 drawing gas from the hopper 100.

[0103] This application retains a gap 126 between a portion of the base 103 and the outer shell 101, and / or the base has a gap 126, which is connected to the heating chamber 113. Therefore, the fan 109 in the heating chamber 113 can draw gas from the gap 126, thereby creating a negative pressure in the gap 126. Under the action of the negative pressure, the gas in the receiving groove 111, the wiring groove 112, and the connecting cavity 121 all flow into the gap 126 between the base 103 and the outer shell 101, thereby extending the path of the airflow in the hopper 100 and making the airflow more evenly distributed in the hopper 100.

[0104] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 3 and 6, there is a gap 126 between the base 103 and the outer shell 101, and / or, the base is provided with a gap, the area of ​​the air outlet 114 is larger than the opening area of ​​any gap 126, and / or, the area of ​​the return air outlet 132 is larger than the opening area of ​​any gap 126.

[0105] Optionally, the fan 109 includes two opposing air inlet surfaces, one of which faces the bottom wall of the receiving trough 111, and the other facing the return air inlet 132. Both air inlet surfaces can be used for air intake of the fan 109. Therefore, one air inlet surface can improve air intake efficiency by taking advantage of its proximity to the return air inlet 132.

[0106] The arrangement of the wiring trough 112, heating chamber 113, and connecting chamber 121 (exhaust section 128) provides an excellent return air path inside the hopper 100, allowing the airflow in the hopper 100 to have a large circulation path, thereby fully drying the material. However, during the air intake process of the heating chamber 113, it becomes crucial to further shorten the air intake path of the heating chamber 113 to improve the air intake efficiency, thereby improving the gas circulation efficiency within the hopper 100.

[0107] Therefore, this application places the return air vent 132, which connects to the heating chamber 113, below the base 103, that is, below the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111. On the one hand, the return air vent 132 creates a low-pressure environment at the bottom of the base 103, thereby causing the gas located above (receiving groove 111) and on the side (pore 126) to flow downward, thereby further improving the large airflow circulation in the hopper 100. On the other hand, the gas at the bottom of the base 103 is mostly low-temperature gas. By drawing the low-temperature gas into the heating chamber 113 for heating, the heating efficiency of the heating chamber 113 is improved, and heat waste is avoided. Furthermore, the bottom of the base 103 has a high risk of condensation. By allowing the heated gas to flow back through the bottom to the return air vent 132 and enter the heating chamber 113, the condensation at the bottom can be evaporated and the high-humidity air at the bottom can be carried away, thereby reducing or avoiding condensation.

[0108] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 3 and 6, the base 103 is housed in the receiving cavity 108, and the return air vent 132 communicates with the receiving cavity 108; the base 103 has a gap 126 between it and at least part of the outer shell 101, and the gap 126 is used to guide the airflow between the return air vent 132 and the receiving groove 111.

[0109] In one embodiment, the distance between the fan 109 and the air outlet 114 is less than the distance between the return air outlet 132 and the exhaust outlet 130.

[0110] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 9, the outer shell 101 is also provided with an air inlet 147. The space between the air inlet 147 and the return air inlet 132 forms an air intake channel. The air intake channel is used for the fan 109 to intake air from outside the hopper 100. An air intake valve is also provided on the air intake channel to control the opening or closing of the air intake channel. The distance between the center point of the air inlet 147 and the center point of the return air inlet 132 is 30mm to 50mm. The air intake valve is provided on the side wall of the heating chamber, or the air intake valve is provided on the inner wall of the bottom plate or side plate of the shell facing the heating chamber.

[0111] In one embodiment, the shell side plate 125 is further provided with an air inlet 147 communicating with the receiving cavity 108. The air valve also includes a second air valve, which is installed below the base 103 and is used to open or close the air inlet 147. When the second air valve opens the air inlet 147, air outside the hopper 100 enters the receiving cavity 108 through the air inlet 147.

[0112] In one embodiment, the line C connecting the center point of the air inlet 147 and the center point of the air outlet 114, and the line L connecting the center point of the air inlet 147 and the center point of the air outlet 114, have an angle γ on their orthogonal projections on the bottom plate 124, with the angle γ being 20° to 55°. The fan 109 draws air in through the air inlet 147 and discharges the heated gas through the air outlet 114. To improve the circulation efficiency of the fan 109, the air path between the air inlet 147 and the air outlet 114 is generally set as a relatively smooth airflow path. The line C connecting the center point of the air inlet 147 and the center point of the air outlet 114 can represent the direction of this airflow path. By setting the connecting lines C and L to have an angle, the fan 109 can avoid directly discharging the external air drawn in through the air inlet through the air outlet 114. The angled arrangement can effectively remove the humid air in the silo, ensuring the dehumidification effect.

[0113] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 7, the hopper also includes a partition cover 135, which is located at the return air inlet 132. The partition cover 135 and the base 103 together enclose the heating chamber 113. The partition cover 135 is provided with a vent hole 136, which is arranged opposite to the fan blade of the fan 109.

[0114] Specifically, the hopper 100 also includes a separate partition cover 135. The partition cover 135 is located at the return air vent 132 of the heating chamber 113, and the partition cover 135 is connected to the side of the base 103 facing away from the hopper 100, so that the partition cover 135 and the base 103 together enclose the heating chamber 113. Therefore, the partition cover 135 is positioned opposite to the bottom plate 124 of the shell, and the partition cover 135 is also positioned opposite to the top wall of the heating chamber 113. A vent 136 is provided on the partition cover 135, which connects the heating chamber 113 and the receiving chamber 108. The fan 109 draws the gas in the gap into the heating chamber 113 through the vent 136. In addition, the fan 109 and the heating element 110 are located on the partition cover 135, which can reduce the probability of human hand contact and avoid the risk of burns.

[0115] Optionally, a first gap 133 is maintained between the back of the base 103 and the bottom plate 124 of the shell, allowing gas at the bottom of the base 103 to flow through the first gap 133. A second gap 134 is formed between the outer periphery of the base 103 and the side plate 125 of the shell, allowing gas at the side of the base 103 to flow through the second gap 134. Since the gaps are formed by the outer periphery of the base 103 and the inner wall of the outer shell 101, the first gap 133 and the second gap 134 are connected.

[0116] When the blower 109 is started, the blower 109 first draws the gas located in the first gap 133 through the return air port 132, so that the first gap 133 and the second gap 134 are negative pressure; the gas in the receiving tank 111 flows into the first gap and the second gap 134 under the action of negative pressure, thereby completing the large gas circulation inside the silo 100.

[0117] In this application, the outer shell 101 of the silo 100 is designed as a hexahedral structure. The heat flow blown out of the heating chamber 113 can diffuse along the first gap 133 and the second gap 134 after passing through the wiring groove 112, which is more conducive to the uniform distribution of hot air in the silo 100, thereby achieving the effect of heating and drying materials.

[0118] The fan 109 and heating element 110 are mounted on the partition cover 135 or the base 103, with the air inlet of the fan 109 opposite to the vent 136. A first gap 133, as described above, exists between the partition cover 135 and the bottom plate 124. It is understood that the partition cover 135 is connected to the back of the base 103, i.e., the partition cover 135 is close to the bottom plate 124 of the outer casing 101. The fan 109 draws air into the gap through the vent 136 on the partition cover 135. Therefore, to ensure a large air intake for the fan 109, it is necessary to avoid the partition cover 135 and the bottom plate 124 being too close together. The first gap 133 between the partition cover 135 and the bottom plate 124 ensures the air intake and also establishes a gas circulation path within the hopper 100.

[0119] In one embodiment, an air duct 137 is provided between the heating chamber 113 and the connecting chamber 121, the air duct 137 connecting the heating chamber 113 and the connecting chamber 121, and the base separates the air duct 137 from the receiving groove 111. The heating element 110 is located between the fan 109 and the air duct 137, and the air blown by the fan 109 passes through the heating element 110 and enters the air duct 137 and the connecting chamber 121.

[0120] The arrangement of the wiring trough 112, air outlet 114, heating chamber 113 and connecting chamber 121 provides conditions for gas circulation inside the hopper 100. The (hot) airflow discharged through the heating chamber 113 is not constrained, resulting in airflow dispersion. However, due to the shape of the hopper, there will still be some corners where the (hot) airflow cannot be covered or diffuses unevenly. This will reduce the drying efficiency of some areas of the hopper, such as the connecting chamber 121. Therefore, how to solve the airflow dispersion problem has become the key.

[0121] In some embodiments, a direct air duct 137 is provided between the connecting cavity 121 and the heating cavity 113, so that some of the hot air blown out of the heating cavity 113 can be directly introduced into the connecting cavity 121. This avoids the situation where the airflow dispersed in the receiving tank 111 cools down and fails to activate the desiccant. The hot airflow directly connected to the connecting cavity 121 can raise the temperature inside the desiccant tank, thereby reactivating the desiccant and ensuring the drying efficiency of the desiccant.

[0122] In one embodiment, referring to FIG8, the partition cover 135 includes a first wall panel 138, with a heating chamber 113 and a connecting chamber 121 on opposite sides of the first wall panel 138, and a vent hole 136 connected to a ventilation duct 137.

[0123] Specifically, the first wall panel 138 is located on the side of the base 103 facing away from the material tray. The first wall panel 138 divides the heating chamber 113 and the connecting chamber 121. A first hole 139 is provided on the first wall panel 138, which can be the inlet or outlet of the aforementioned air duct 137. In this way, the airflow from the heating chamber 113 is transmitted to the connecting chamber 121 through the first hole 139 and the air duct 137.

[0124] The heating chamber 113 and the connecting chamber 121 are separated by the first wall panel 138 to prevent the two chambers from merging. A separate first hole 139 is opened to connect the ventilation channel 137, so that the air flow from the heating chamber 113 into the connecting chamber 121 is affected by the diameter of the first hole 139, thereby controlling the air flow into the connecting chamber 121 and preventing the air flow into the connecting chamber 121 from being too large and affecting the air flow in the receiving tank 111.

[0125] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 8, the base 103 includes a second wall panel 140, which is disposed opposite to the first wall panel 138. The side of the first wall panel 138 facing away from the second wall panel 140 is a heating cavity 113, and the side of the second wall panel 140 facing away from the first wall panel 138 is a connecting cavity 121. A second hole 141 is provided on the second wall panel 140, and the second hole 141 is connected to a ventilation duct 137.

[0126] Specifically, the second wall panel 140 is located on the side of the base 103 facing away from the material tray. The first wall panel 138 and the second wall panel 140 are arranged opposite to each other, and the air duct 137 mentioned above is located between the first wall panel 138 and the second wall panel 140. Therefore, the first hole 139 is the inlet of the air duct 137, and the second hole 141 is the outlet of the air duct 137.

[0127] By setting the first wall panel 138 and the second wall panel 140 to separate the heating chamber 113 and the connecting chamber 121, there is space between the first wall panel 138 and the second wall panel 140 for storing other parts. The space between the second wall panel 140 and the first wall panel 138 can be used to place the drive unit 300, thereby ensuring the high integration of the hopper 100.

[0128] In one embodiment, referring to FIG8, the base 103 includes a connecting portion 122, which encloses an air duct 137, and the two opposite ends of the connecting portion 122 are respectively connected to a first wall panel 138 and a second wall panel 140.

[0129] Specifically, the connecting part 122 is located between the first wall panel 138 and the second wall panel 140, connecting the first wall panel 138 and the second wall panel 140, and enclosing the air duct 137. It can be understood that the connecting part 122 is integrally connected with the first wall panel 138 and the second wall panel 140, that is, the connecting part 122 is also injection molded on the base 103.

[0130] By setting an integrated connecting part 122, the overall strength of the base 103 can be improved, and air leakage can be prevented from the air duct 137 during ventilation.

[0131] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 8. The silo includes a first air duct 142, which forms an air channel 137. The two opposite ends of the first air duct 142 are respectively connected to a first wall panel 138 and a second wall panel 140.

[0132] Specifically, the first air duct 137 can also be enclosed by a first air pipe 142. The first air pipe 142 is different from the connecting part 122. The first air pipe 142 can be a flexible hose. The first air pipe 142 is detachably connected to the first wall panel 138 and the second wall panel 140. The two ends of the first air pipe 142 can be connected to the first hole 139 and the second hole 141, respectively.

[0133] By setting up a detachable first air duct 142, the configuration of the air duct 137 can be adjusted according to needs. When the air duct 137 is not needed, the first air duct 142 can be removed and the first hole 139 and the second hole 141 can be sealed.

[0134] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 8, a control valve 143 is provided on the air duct 137 path, and the control valve 143 controls the gas in the air duct 137 to flow from the heating chamber 113 to the connecting chamber 121.

[0135] Specifically, the control valve 143 can be used to control the opening or closing of the air duct 137. When the control valve 143 is opened, the air duct 137 is open, and the airflow in the heating chamber 113 is transmitted to the connecting chamber 121 through the air duct 137. When the control valve 143 is closed, the air duct 137 is blocked, and the airflow in the heating chamber 113 cannot be transmitted through the air duct 137.

[0136] In other embodiments, the control valve 143 may also have an adjustment function, controlling the area of ​​the air duct 137 to control the flow rate of the airflow through the air duct 137. Furthermore, the control valve 143 is a one-way control valve, allowing only airflow into the connecting cavity 121, thereby increasing the air pressure and temperature within the connecting cavity 121.

[0137] In one embodiment, referring to FIG7, the hopper further includes a second air duct 144, one end of which is connected to the heating chamber 113. The second air duct 144 extends under the base 103 and is used to transfer the gas in the heating chamber 113 to the receiving chamber 108.

[0138] Specifically, a second air duct is located on the back of the base 103. One end of the second air duct is connected to the heating chamber 113, thereby venting the airflow from the heating chamber 113. The other end of the second air duct extends to a position in the receiving cavity 108 away from the heating chamber 113. In this way, the gas in the heating chamber 113 can be vented to other positions in the receiving cavity 108 through the second air duct.

[0139] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 7, the second duct includes a main second duct 145 and a secondary second duct 146. The cross-sectional area of ​​the main second duct 145 is larger than that of the secondary second duct 146. The secondary second duct 146 is located on a side away from the air supply direction of the main second duct 145, or the secondary second duct 146 is located on a side deviating from the air supply direction of the main second duct 145.

[0140] Specifically, there are at least two second air ducts, namely a main second air duct 145 and a secondary second air duct 146. One end of the main second air duct 145 and the secondary second air duct 146 are connected to the heating chamber 113, while the other end of the main second air duct 145 and the secondary second air duct 146 extend to different positions in the receiving chamber 108.

[0141] Optionally, the cross-sectional area of ​​the main second air duct 145 is larger than that of the secondary second air duct 146, thereby allowing the main second air duct 145 to have a larger airflow. In a specific embodiment, the heating chamber 113 is located at one corner of the outer casing 101, and the section of the main second air duct 145 away from the heater extends to the corner furthest from the heating chamber 113, that is, the main second air duct 145 is located diagonally in the receiving cavity 108. The secondary second air duct 146 extends along a first direction X or a second direction, that is, the secondary second air duct 146 is located parallel to the wide side or long side in the receiving cavity 108. By arranging the main second air duct 145 and the secondary second air duct 146 in this way, the (hot) airflow can be directed to the corners of the hopper that are difficult for the airflow to reach, thereby making the (hot) airflow distribution in the hopper more uniform.

[0142] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the air duct 137 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main second air duct 145. By setting the cross-sectional area of ​​the air duct 137 to be smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the main second air duct 145, it can be ensured that most of the airflow is first transmitted to other locations in the receiving cavity 108 through the main second air duct 145, so as to meet the priority requirements of airflow circulation in the receiving cavity 108.

[0143] In one embodiment, the heating element 110 includes a plurality of heating fins arranged sequentially at intervals, all of which extend along a second direction Y, which is the extension direction of the air duct 137.

[0144] Specifically, along the second direction Y, the fan 109 is located at the end of the heating chamber 113 away from the air outlet 114, and the heating element 110 is located between the fan 109 and the air outlet 114, so that the airflow blown by the fan 109 can be heated by the heating element 110 to form a heat flow. The heating element 110 is composed of multiple heating fins, which are arranged at intervals along the first direction X and extend along the second direction Y. Therefore, the airflow blown by the fan 109 can directly flow through the gaps between the heating fins and then through the air duct 137 to the connecting chamber 121.

[0145] In 3D printing equipment, a drive motor typically powers friction wheels to transport or retract materials. The motor generates significant heat during operation, which can easily transfer to the material through the friction wheels, causing it to soften or slip. Typical 3D printing filaments, such as PLA, have a glass transition temperature of approximately 60°C, and PETG approximately 88°C. When the motor operates under high load, the resulting temperature is sufficient to soften or slip the material. This is especially true when the motor directly drives the friction wheels; without intermediate transmission components, the motor's heat is directly conducted to the friction wheels, necessitating optimization.

[0146] In one embodiment, the distance from the middle of the receiving groove 111 to the bottom plate 124 is less than the distance from the first side 116 and the second side 117 to the bottom plate 124.

[0147] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 2, the drive unit 300 is used to drive the feed line on the feed tray. The drive unit 300 is disposed between the heating chamber 113 and the connecting chamber 121, so that the drive unit 300 does not affect the placement of the feed tray and can maximize the use of the space of the base 103. Furthermore, the distance from the drive unit 300 to the connecting chamber 121 is less than the distance from the drive unit 300 to the heating chamber 113, meaning the drive unit 300 is closer to the connecting chamber 121 than the heating chamber 113. This results in a lower temperature near the drive unit 300, which is beneficial for improving the heat dissipation of the drive unit 300.

[0148] Specifically, at least a portion of the drive unit 300 is mounted on the multi-channel member 107. The drive unit 300 is used to drive the material in the multi-channel member 107 to exit from the discharge port and be conveyed outside the housing 304. The drive unit 300 is mounted on the back of the base 103, close to the side facing the second side 117. In a specific embodiment, the drive unit 300 is located on the side of the base 103 facing away from the bottom wall of the receiving groove 111, thus saving space and reducing the impact of the drive unit 300 on the rotation of the material tray.

[0149] Referring to Figures 10 and 11, the drive unit 300 includes a drive component 301, a drive wheel 302, and a driven wheel 303. The drive component 301 is installed between the base 103 and the housing 101. The drive component 301 drives the drive wheel 302 to rotate, causing the drive wheel 302 to transport or retract the material. The drive wheel 302 and the driven wheel 303 are installed within the multi-channel member 107. The driven wheel 303 and the drive wheel 302 are located on opposite sides of the material, so that the material is held and transported or retracted by the driven wheel 303 and the drive wheel 302.

[0150] Specifically, referring to Figure 10, an airflow channel 307 is formed between the base 103 and the outer casing 101. The receiving groove 111 and the airflow channel 307 are located on opposite sides of the base 103. The heating cavity 113 is located on the side of the base 103 away from the receiving groove 111, and the heating cavity 113 connects the airflow channel 307 and the receiving groove 111. The connecting cavity 121 is located on the side of the base 103 away from the heating cavity 113, and the heating cavity 113 and the connecting cavity 121 are located on opposite sides of the multi-pass 107.

[0151] The base 103 is at least partially recessed on the side opposite to the receiving groove 111, forming an airflow channel 307 between it and the outer casing 101. The airflow channel 307 communicates with the heating chamber 113 and the outside of the outer casing 101. At least a portion of the drive unit 300 is located within the airflow channel 307, and airflow channels 307 are formed on opposite sides of the drive unit 300, allowing air within the airflow channel 307 to generate wind under the action of the fan 109. The generated wind can carry away the heat generated by the drive unit 300 between the two airflow channels 307, thereby achieving heat dissipation for the drive unit 300. The airflow channel 307 communicates with the outside of the outer casing 101.

[0152] Specifically, when the fan 109 is running, the fan 109 can draw air from the airflow channel 307 to the heating chamber 113 and form wind. The fan 109 blows the formed wind toward the heating element 110 and heats it through the heating element 110. Then, the hot air is blown toward the receiving tank 111 by the fan 109, thereby delivering hot air into the receiving tank 111.

[0153] Referring to Figure 11, a return air inlet 132 is formed on the side wall of the heating chamber 113 opposite to the receiving groove 111. The return air inlet 132 connects the airflow channel 307 and the heating chamber 113. That is, a return air inlet 132 is formed on the side of the fan 109 opposite to the receiving groove 111, and the return air inlet 132 is connected to the airflow channel 307. When the fan 109 rotates, the air in the airflow channel 307 enters the heating chamber 113 through the return air inlet 132 and is heated by the heating element 110 in the heating chamber 113, thereby providing hot air to the receiving groove 111.

[0154] The desiccant in the connecting cavity 121 absorbs the moisture in the receiving tank 111 to keep the environment inside the receiving tank 111 dry, thus providing a suitable working environment for the 3D printing feeding device.

[0155] Please refer to Figure 12. The drive unit 301 includes a housing 304, a drive section 305, and a drive shaft 306. The housing 304 houses the drive section 305. The drive section 305 drives the drive wheel 302 to rotate via the drive shaft 306, so that the drive wheel 302 drives the material to be conveyed or retracted.

[0156] In this application, an airflow channel 307 is formed between the base 103 and the outer casing 101 along the axial direction of the drive unit 305. Thus, the heat generated by the drive unit 305 can be dissipated through heat exchange with the air within the airflow channel 307, reducing the amount of heat conducted to the drive wheel 302 via the drive shaft 306. This reduces the impact of heat generated by the drive unit 305 on the material, minimizing or preventing material softening or slippage.

[0157] For example, the drive unit 300 has airflow channels 307 formed on both sides of the drive section 305 and the active drive wheel 302 along the arrangement direction. With this configuration, the heat generated by the drive section 305 can be dissipated through air heat exchange within the airflow channels 307 on both sides, effectively improving the heat dissipation effect.

[0158] Specifically, the airflow within the airflow channel 307 can be accelerated by the fan 109, thereby creating a breeze within the airflow channel 307. The breeze within the airflow channel 307 carries away the heat generated by the drive component 301, thus achieving heat dissipation for the drive component 301.

[0159] The drive unit 305 is specifically a motor, which provides power for the rotation of the drive shaft 306. The drive unit 305 is located on the side of the multi-pass 107 facing the connecting cavity 121. Typically, the temperature of the heating cavity 113 is higher than that of the connecting cavity 121. By placing the drive unit 305 on the side of the multi-pass 107 facing the connecting cavity 121, the impact of the temperature at the heating cavity 113 on the drive unit 305 can be reduced, and the inlet air temperature can be effectively reduced, which is beneficial to improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the drive unit 305.

[0160] The drive unit 305 drives the active drive wheel 302 to rotate, and the active drive wheel 302 drives the material conveying or retraction at the multi-channel component 107.

[0161] Specifically, please refer to Figure 2. The multi-channel component 107 is installed on the second side 117. The multi-channel component 107 includes at least two feed ports and one discharge port. Multiple cable routing sub-slots 118 are connected to the multiple feed ports one by one.

[0162] Specifically, the multi-channel component 107 is installed on the second side 117, located at the lowest point of the second side 117 in the third direction Z. The multi-channel component 107 is used to collect multiple materials and selectively output one material. Therefore, the multi-channel component 107 includes multiple inlets and one outlet, wherein the inlets face the cable tray 112 and the outlet faces away from the cable tray 112. Thus, the linear material passing through the cable tray 118 enters the multi-channel component 107 through a corresponding inlet and can be selectively output from the outlet.

[0163] This application installs a multi-channel component 107 on the second side 117 of the base 103, allowing materials passing through multiple routing sub-slots 118 to enter the multi-channel component 107, and selectively sending one material out of the hopper 100 via the multi-channel component 107; in addition, the multi-channel component 107 is located at the lowest point of the base 103 in the third direction Z, and the routing sub-slots 118 can avoid abrupt changes in material flow, resulting in less resistance during material flow and facilitating user operation of the multi-channel component 107 via the routing sub-slots 112.

[0164] The multi-port component 107 includes an inlet 315 and an outlet 316. There are multiple inlets 315, and each inlet 315 corresponds to a material tray. Specifically, the drive unit 305 drives the drive wheel 302 to rotate, so that the material in one of the material trays is conveyed from the inlet 315 to the outlet 316; or, the drive unit 305 drives the drive wheel 302 to rotate, so that the material is returned from the outlet 316 to the inlet 315.

[0165] Existing technologies generally use a drive motor and a reduction gear connected to a friction wheel for driving. However, this increases the size of the drive mechanism. Furthermore, when using a reduction gear for driving, the high speed of the drive motor will generate significant gear meshing noise under conditions such as rapid material ejection. When the 3D printing equipment is placed in a bedroom setting or needs to work for extended periods day and night, the gear meshing noise will affect the user and reduce the user experience of the 3D printing equipment.

[0166] In this application, the drive unit 305 is directly connected to the drive shaft 306, and the active drive wheel 302 is mounted on the drive shaft 306. By directly driving the active drive wheel 302 to rotate through the drive shaft 306, the gear meshing noise caused by using reduction gears can be avoided, which helps to reduce the overall noise of the material hopper 100 and improve the user experience of the 3D printing equipment.

[0167] In this application, the drive unit 305 and the heating chamber 113 are located on opposite sides of the multi-pass 107. Thus, when the fan 109 is running, the air in the airflow channel 307 exchanges heat with the drive unit 305 and flows to the return air port 132, thereby entering the heating chamber 113. This results in a higher temperature of the air entering the heating chamber 113, which helps to reduce the power consumption of the heating element 110.

[0168] In one embodiment, referring to FIG12, the drive unit 301 further includes heat dissipation fins 308, which are disposed outside the housing 304. The heat dissipation fins 308 can be a flat plate structure, which effectively increases the heat exchange surface area of ​​the drive unit 305, improves the heat exchange efficiency, and thus improves the heat dissipation efficiency. Since the drive unit 305 directly drives the active drive wheel 302 through the drive shaft 306, the heat generated by the drive unit 305 is more easily conducted to the active drive wheel 302 through the drive shaft 306, causing the heat on the active drive wheel 302 to soften the material and cause slippage. In this application, by setting the heat dissipation fins 308, the heat dissipation effect of the drive unit 305 is further accelerated, and the impact of the heat generated by the drive unit 305 on the material is reduced.

[0169] For example, the housing 304 is a housing 304 with heat dissipation fins 308, which are located on the outer periphery of the housing 304. The housing 304 and the heat dissipation fins 308 can be an integrally formed structure, which simplifies the installation process of the drive component 301 and helps to shorten the heat dissipation path between the housing 304 and the heat dissipation fins 308, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect on the drive component 301.

[0170] Furthermore, there are multiple heat dissipation fins 308, which are arranged at intervals. Two adjacent heat dissipation fins 308 form a heat dissipation channel 309, which is connected to the airflow channel 307. The heat dissipation channel 309 has openings at opposite ends along the axial direction of the drive unit 305, which are respectively directed toward the airflow channels 307 on both sides of the drive unit 300.

[0171] Specifically, referring to Figure 12, multiple heat dissipation fins 308 are evenly spaced on the circumferential surface of the housing 304. The heat dissipation channel 309 has its two ends opening along the axial direction of the drive unit 305, respectively facing the airflow channels 307 on both sides of the drive unit 300. In this way, air from one side of the airflow channel 307 can flow along the axial direction of the drive unit 305 through the heat dissipation channel 309 and reach the other side of the airflow channel 307, accelerating the air circulation around the drive unit 305. The air in the heat dissipation channel 309 exchanges heat with the surface of the heat dissipation fins 308 on both sides of the heat dissipation channel 309, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the drive unit 305.

[0172] In addition, when the drive unit 305 is running continuously, the heat dissipation fins 308 on the housing 304 can help the drive unit 305 dissipate heat fully, reducing or avoiding the situation where heat is conducted to the drive wheel 302 through the drive shaft 306, which can effectively reduce or avoid the situation where the material softens or slips.

[0173] Both the drive unit 305 and the heat dissipation fins 308 are located on the side of the multi-pass 107 facing the connecting cavity 121. Positioning the drive unit 305 and the heat dissipation fins 308 away from the heating element 110 provides a lower temperature environment for the drive unit 305, contributing to its stable operation. Furthermore, the low-temperature environment surrounding the drive unit 305 results in lower airflow temperatures flowing through the heat dissipation fins 308, which improves the heat exchange efficiency between the heat dissipation fins 308 and the airflow, thereby enhancing the heat dissipation effect on the drive unit 305.

[0174] In another embodiment, referring to Figure 13, the drive unit 300 further includes a fan blade 310, which is connected to the drive shaft 306. The fan blade 310 is located within the airflow channel 307, so that the fan blade 310 can rotate under the drive of the drive shaft 306, thereby pushing the air around the airflow channel 307 to form a wind, which helps to improve the airflow around the drive unit 300, thereby helping to improve the heat exchange efficiency.

[0175] Specifically, when the drive unit 300 is working, the drive shaft 306 rotates to drive the fan blade 310 to rotate, so the airflow generated by the rotation of the fan blade 310 can be used to blow off the residual material debris on the active drive wheel 302.

[0176] Furthermore, along the axial direction of the drive shaft 306, the fan blade 310 is closer to the side of the connecting cavity 121 than the heating cavity 113, that is, the fan blade 310 is away from the heating element 110 in the heating cavity 113. The drive shaft 306 and the drive unit 305 are coaxially arranged. In this way, the impact of the airflow heated by the heating element 110 on the drive unit 300 is reduced, thereby reducing the inlet air temperature at the drive unit 300, avoiding heat accumulation, and accelerating heat dissipation.

[0177] In this application, the rotation of the drive shaft 306 drives the fan blade 310 to rotate, so that the fan blade 310 forms a heat dissipation airflow at the drive unit 300, which not only achieves the cooling effect, but also blows away residual material debris on the active drive wheel 302; in addition, the fan blade 310 is far away from the heating chamber 113, which can prevent the hot airflow discharged from the heating chamber 113 from being introduced into the drive unit 300, thereby avoiding the influence of the hot airflow on the drive unit 300.

[0178] In one embodiment, the fan blade 310 is located between the drive unit 305 and the active drive wheel 302. Thus, the fan blade 310 rotates under the drive shaft 306 and drives the airflow within the airflow channel 307.

[0179] In another embodiment, referring to Figures 13 and 14, the fan blade 310 is located on the side of the active drive wheel 302 opposite to the drive unit 305. The wind generated by the rotation of the fan blade 310 can accelerate the removal of heat conducted to the fan blade 310, which is beneficial to improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the drive unit 305. Similarly, the wind generated by the rotation of the fan blade 310 can also blow away residual material debris on the active drive wheel 302.

[0180] It is understood that in other embodiments, the drive unit 300 may be provided with heat dissipation fins 308 and fan blades 310 at the same time. The heat dissipation effect of the drive part 305 is enhanced by the heat dissipation fins 308 and fan blades 310, thereby reducing or avoiding the impact of heat generated by the drive part 305 on the active drive wheel 302, thereby reducing or avoiding the phenomenon of material softening and slipping.

[0181] In this embodiment, the drive shaft 306 may be fitted with a multi-pass member 107, and the end of the drive shaft 306 away from the drive unit 305 is connected to the fan blade 310. Alternatively, the drive unit 300 may further include a drive gear 311, a rotating shaft 312, and an acceleration gear 313, wherein the drive gear 311 is fixedly connected to the drive shaft 306, the drive gear 311 meshes with the acceleration gear 313, and the acceleration gear 313 is connected to the fan blade 310 via the rotating shaft 312. The drive unit 305 drives the drive gear 311 and the acceleration gear 313 to rotate via the drive shaft 306, thereby driving the fan blade 310 to rotate via the rotating shaft 312. It is understood that through the meshing of the drive gear 311 and the acceleration gear 313, the fan blade 310 can have a faster rotational speed than the drive wheel 302.

[0182] For example, referring to Figure 13, the drive unit 300 may also include a cleaning member 314, which cooperates with the drive wheel 302. The cleaning member 314 cooperates with the outer peripheral surface of the drive wheel 302 to rotate under the drive of the drive unit 305, thereby scraping off material debris on the drive wheel 302 and reducing material debris residue at the drive wheel 302.

[0183] Specifically, the cleaning component 314 is located on the side of the active drive wheel 302 opposite to the driven drive wheel 303. The cleaning component 314 can be a wheel with scraping teeth. The scraping teeth on the cleaning component 314 cooperate with the outer peripheral surface of the active drive wheel 302, thereby scraping off the material debris remaining on the active drive wheel 302 when it rotates.

[0184] In other embodiments, the cleaning member 314 cooperates with the outer peripheral surface of the drive wheel 302 to scrape off material debris from the drive wheel 302 under the drive of the drive unit 305. Specifically, the cleaning member 314 may not be connected to the drive shaft 306; the cleaning member 314 may be fixedly connected to the hopper 100, or the cleaning member 314 may be connected to the drive shaft 306.

[0185] Referring to Figures 13 and 14, when the drive unit 300 includes a drive gear 311, a rotating shaft 312, and an acceleration gear 313, the cleaning component 314 can be mounted on the rotating shaft 312. The drive unit 305 drives the drive gear 311 and the acceleration gear 313 to rotate via the drive shaft 306, thereby driving the cleaning component 314 to rotate via the rotating shaft 312.

[0186] In a specific embodiment, the cleaning component 314 may include a brush or scraper teeth, which are used to engage or contact the outer peripheral surface of the drive wheel 302 to scrape off material debris from the drive wheel 302. The brush may be made of polymer fibers and may be flexible, specifically a bristle brush. The scraper teeth may be made of metal or plastic and may be rigid, with a toothed structure or a straight plate structure.

[0187] When the drive unit 300 includes a fan blade 310, the fan blade 310 can also blow away material debris between the cleaning member 314 and the active drive wheel 302 when it rotates, thereby reducing material debris at the active drive wheel 302.

[0188] Referring to Figures 4 and 6, the hopper 100 also includes a pressing member 317, which is mounted on the multi-pass 107. Specifically, the pressing member 317 is connected to the driven drive wheel 303 and is used to drive the driven drive wheel 303 to press or release material. Specifically, the pressing member 317 extends through the housing 101 into the multi-pass 107 and is connected to the driven drive wheel 303. The pressing member 317 is exposed on the side of the base 103 facing the outside of the hopper 100 to facilitate applying pressure to the pressing member 317. The exposed side of the pressing member 317 facing the outside of the hopper 100 means that the pressing member 317 is located on the surface of the multi-pass 107 facing away from the bottom plate 124.

[0189] The pressing member 317, under pressure, drives the driven wheel 303 to press the material, causing the driving wheel 302, driven by the driving unit 305, to transport the material pressed between the driving wheel 302 and the driven wheel 303 to the discharge port 316. When the pressure of the pressing member 317 is released, the force exerted by the pressing member 317 on the driven wheel 303 disappears, and the driven wheel 303 releases the material.

[0190] Specifically, the multi-pass component 107 includes a pivot 318, a connecting rod structure 319, and a return spring 320. The pivot 318 and the connecting rod structure 319 are hinged, with the pivot 318 passing through the connecting rod structure 319. The connecting rod structure 319 is connected to the driven drive wheel 303 and is used to move the driven drive wheel 303 closer to or away from the driving drive wheel 302. The return spring 320 connects the pressing member 317 and the connecting rod structure 319.

[0191] It should be noted that the driven drive wheel 303 can rotate relative to the connecting rod structure 319. When the connecting rod structure 319 moves, it drives the driven drive wheel 303 to move to change the gap between the driven drive wheel 303 and the driving drive wheel 302, thereby compressing or releasing the material.

[0192] The axial direction of the rotating shaft 318 is the same as that of the driven drive wheel 303. The rotating shaft 318 and the driven drive wheel 303 are spaced apart, with the rotating shaft 318 located between the driven drive wheel 303 and the return spring 320. When the pressing member 317 is pressed to compress the return spring 320, the return spring 320 drives the connecting rod structure 319 to rotate relative to the rotating shaft 318. The connecting rod structure 319 drives the driven drive wheel 303 to move, increasing the gap between the driven drive wheel 303 and the driving drive wheel 302, thereby releasing the material. If the pressing member 317 is released, the return spring 320 naturally extends due to the compression force, and the connecting rod structure 319 rotates relative to the rotating shaft 318. The connecting rod structure 319 drives the driven drive wheel 303 to move, decreasing the gap between the driven drive wheel 303 and the driving drive wheel 302, thereby compressing the material.

[0193] In one embodiment, as shown in Figures 15 to 17, the air valve 105 includes a swing arm 511, a baffle 513, and a base 515 connected together. An airflow passage is formed between the base 515 and the baffle 513. The swing of the swing arm 511 is used to drive the baffle 513 to move relative to the base 515 to open or close the airflow passage.

[0194] The base 515 is used to support the structure and components of other air valves 105, such as the baffle 513 and the swing arm 511. The baffle 513 is connected to the base 515, and the swing arm 511 is rotatably connected to the base 515. The rotation of the swing arm 511 causes the baffle 513 to move relative to the base 515.

[0195] A gap region is provided between the lower side of the base 103 and at least a portion of the outer shell 101. An air valve 105 is installed in the gap region to open or close the airflow passage between the outer shell 101 and the receiving cavity 108 of the hopper 100. The air valve 105 is installed on the base 103 or the outer shell 101. It is understood that the air valve 105 can be connected to at least one of the base 103 and the outer shell 101. For example, the air valve 105 can be installed on the outer wall or the inner wall of the outer shell 101 or the outer wall of the base 103. In one embodiment, the base 103 is provided with a mounting plate opposite to at least a portion of the outer shell 101. The air valve 105 is installed on the mounting plate, and the gap width between the mounting plate and the shell side plate 125 forming the gap region is in the range of [30mm, 50mm].

[0196] In one embodiment, the damper 105 includes a baffle 513, a base 515, and a drive mechanism connected together. An airflow passage is formed between the base 515 and the baffle 513. The drive mechanism is movable and used to drive the baffle 513 to move relative to the base 515 to open or close the airflow passage. Specifically, the drive mechanism can be the swing arm 511 described above. The drive mechanism may also include at least one of the following: a swing arm, a gear, a connecting rod, a cam, a screw, and an electromagnetic coil.

[0197] In a specific embodiment, the driving mechanism includes a gear and a rack. The gear is rotatably connected to the base 515, and the rack is connected to the baffle 513. The gear meshes with the rack, and the gear's rotation drives the rack to move, thereby causing the baffle 513 to move relative to the base 515. Alternatively, the driving mechanism includes multiple connecting rods, with at least one connecting rod connected to the base 515 and another connecting rod connected to the baffle 513. The multiple connecting rods move relative to each other, causing the baffle 513 to move relative to the base 515. Alternatively, the driving mechanism includes a cam, which is rotatably connected to the base 515. The baffle 513 includes a mating portion, and the cam rotates to abut against the mating portion, causing the baffle 513 to move relative to the base 515. Alternatively, the driving mechanism includes a screw and a nut, with the screw connected to the base 515 and the nut connected to the baffle 513. The nut is sleeved on the screw, and the screw drives the nut to move, thereby causing the baffle 513 to move relative to the base 515. Alternatively, the driving mechanism includes an electromagnetic coil and a magnetic component, one of which is connected to the base 515 and the other to the baffle 513. When the electromagnetic coil is energized, it causes the magnetic component to move and drives the baffle 513 to move relative to the base 515.

[0198] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 15 to 17, the baffle 513 is provided with a first sliding groove 5131, and the swing arm 511 is slidably connected to the first sliding groove 5131. The first sliding groove 5131 is used to guide the movement of the baffle 513. The length of the first sliding groove 5131 can be, but is not limited to, [3.5mm, 6mm], to limit the movement stroke of the baffle 513 relative to the base 515. The movement of the swing arm 511 along the first sliding groove 5131 can drive the baffle 513 to move relative to the base 103, so as to open the exhaust port 130 and discharge the moisture in the hopper 100. Since the swing arm 511 moves along the first sliding groove 5131 when swinging, thereby driving the baffle 513 to move relative to the base 103, the first sliding groove 5131 guides the movement of the baffle 513, which helps to improve the smoothness of the movement of the baffle 513 relative to the base 103. In one embodiment, the baffle 513 is slidably connected to the base 515. The baffle 513 has a first sliding portion 5133, and the base 515 has a second sliding portion 5153 on the side opposite to the baffle 513. The first sliding portion 5133 and the second sliding portion 5153 are slidably connected. One of the first sliding portion 5133 and the second sliding portion 5153 is a second sliding groove, and the other of the first sliding portion 5133 and the second sliding portion 5153 is a protrusion. The protrusion passes through the second sliding groove and can slide along the second sliding groove. The sliding connection between the base 515 and the baffle 513 is achieved through the sliding engagement of the protrusion and the second sliding groove. This simple structure improves the ease of assembly between the base 515 and the baffle 513. It is understood that in some embodiments, the baffle 513 can be rotatably connected to the base 515.

[0199] The airflow environment of the silo 100 is achieved by closing the exhaust port 130 through the air valve 105, thus isolating the interior of the silo 100 from the exterior and making the interior of the silo 100 a closed space. This requires good sealing between the air valve 105 and the mounting point (e.g., the housing 101). However, even when the air valve 105 is in a sealed state after closing the exhaust port 130, an air gap inevitably forms between the air valve 105 and the mounting point.

[0200] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 15 to 17, the baffle 513 is further provided with a first connecting hole 5132, and the base 515 is provided with a second connecting hole 5151. The rotation of the swing arm 511 causes the baffle 513 to move relative to the base 515, so that the first connecting hole 5132, the second connecting hole 5151, and the airflow passage are connected. When the first connecting hole 5132, the second connecting hole 5151, and the airflow passage are connected, the first connecting hole 5132, the second connecting hole 5151, and the airflow passage are connected to the exhaust port 130.

[0201] Along the stacking direction of the baffle 513 and the base 103, when the overlapping area of ​​the projection of the exhaust port 130 on the baffle 513 and the first connecting hole 5132 is greater than 0, the damper 105 opens the exhaust port 130; when the overlapping area of ​​the projection of the exhaust port 130 on the baffle 513 and the first connecting hole 5132 is equal to 0, the damper 105 closes the exhaust port 130. By providing the first connecting hole 5132 on the baffle 513 to connect the exhaust port 130 and the receiving cavity 108, when the damper 105 closes the exhaust port 130, it is beneficial to extend the air gap length and increase the sealing performance of the damper 105.

[0202] It is understandable that the first connecting hole 5132 can be omitted from the baffle 513. When the baffle 513 covers the exhaust port 130, the air valve 105 closes the exhaust port 130. When the baffle 513 does not cover the exhaust port 130, the air valve 105 opens the exhaust port 130.

[0203] In one embodiment, as shown in Figures 15 to 17, the center of the first connecting hole 5132 is eccentrically positioned relative to the center of the baffle 513 in the extending direction of the first sliding part 5133. This facilitates extending the air gap length of the air valve 105 in the sealed state, thereby improving the sealing performance of the air valve 105.

[0204] By rationally arranging the position of the first connecting hole 5132, the air valve 105 can be miniaturized, thus shortening the external exhaust air path and reducing the possibility of condensation when installing the air valve 105. Furthermore, the miniaturized air valve 105 is easier to drive. In addition, it is necessary to extend the air gap length of the air valve 105 in the sealed state as much as possible within the limited size, thereby improving the sealing performance of the air valve 105.

[0205] In one embodiment, when the baffle 513 closes the airflow passage, the shortest distance between the edge of the second connecting hole 5151 and the edge of the first connecting hole 5132 is in the range of [1mm, 10mm].

[0206] In one embodiment, the first connecting hole 5132 can be a circular hole, and the aspect ratio of the baffle 513 is in the range of [1.4, 1.9], which is beneficial to further extend the air gap length of the air valve 105 in the sealed state, thereby improving the sealing performance of the hopper 100. It is understood that this application does not limit the shape of the first connecting hole 5132. For example, the first connecting hole 5132 can be a regular or irregular shaped hole such as a square.

[0207] In one embodiment, the shortest distance between the edge of the first connecting hole 5132 and the edge of the baffle 513 is [1.5mm, 5mm], which is beneficial to further extend the air gap length of the damper 105 in the sealed state, thereby improving the sealing performance of the damper 105. It is understood that this application does not limit the range of the shortest distance between the edge of the first connecting hole 5132 and the edge of the baffle 513.

[0208] In one embodiment, the ratio of the area of ​​the first connecting hole 5132 to the area of ​​the baffle 513 is in the range of [0.06, 0.3], which is beneficial to further extend the air gap length of the damper 105 in the sealed state, thereby improving the sealing performance of the damper 105. It is understood that this application does not limit the range of the ratio of the area of ​​the first connecting hole 5132 to the area of ​​the baffle 513.

[0209] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 15 to 17, the baffle 513 includes a first edge 5134, a second edge 5135, a third edge 5136, and a fourth edge 5137 connected end-to-end. The first edge 5134 and the third edge 5136 are arranged opposite each other, as are the second edge 5135 and the fourth edge 5137. A first sliding portion 5133 is provided between the first edge 5134 and the first connecting hole 5132, and a first sliding portion 5133 is provided between the third edge 5136 and the first connecting hole 5132. A first groove 5131 is provided between the first connecting hole 5132 and the second edge 5135. The baffle 513 can be generally rectangular or square, meaning the first edge 5134 and the third edge 5136 can be parallel to each other. By arranging the first groove 5131 on the edge of the baffle 513, the air gap length can be extended, thereby improving the sealing performance of the damper 105. It is understandable that the baffle 513 in this application can also be other shapes such as circles, triangles, ellipses, etc.

[0210] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 15 to 17, the swing arm 511 includes a connecting portion 5113, an arm body 5111, and an anti-detachment buckle 5115. The connecting portion 5113 and the anti-detachment buckle 5115 are disposed at opposite ends of the arm body 5111 to form a rocker arm. A baffle 513 is located between the anti-detachment buckle 5115 and the arm body 5111. The maximum width of the anti-detachment buckle 5115 is greater than the maximum width of the first sliding groove 5131. By providing the anti-detachment buckle 5115 on the swing arm 511, the swing arm 511 is prevented from detaching from the baffle 513.

[0211] In one embodiment, the swing angle range of the swing arm 511 relative to the 0° axis is [-35°, 45°], and the 0° axis is parallel to the extension direction of the first slide groove 5131 to limit the movement range of the baffle 513.

[0212] The damper 105 also includes a base plate 517, which covers the base 515. A baffle 513 is located between the base plate 517 and the base 515. The base plate 517 is provided with a third connecting hole 5171, and the first connecting hole 5132, the second connecting hole 5151, the third connecting hole 5171, and the airflow passage can be connected to each other.

[0213] In one embodiment, when the base 515 or the bottom plate 517 is installed on the outer wall of the base 103 and sealed to the outer wall of the base 103, the area between the outer shell 101 and the air valve 105 is connected to the external environment. The internal space of the hopper 100 is connected to the area between the outer shell 101 and the air valve 105 through the air valve 105. In other words, the inside of the hopper 100 is only connected to the external environment through the first connecting hole 5132 on the baffle 513. Thus, when the baffle 513 moves between the bottom plate 517 and the base 515, the flow of air between the hopper 100 and the external environment can be controlled.

[0214] In another embodiment, the base 515 or the bottom plate 517 is installed on the inner wall of the housing 101 and is sealed to the inner wall of the housing 101, so that when the baffle 513 moves between the bottom plate 517 and the base 515, the flow of air between the hopper 100 and the external environment can be controlled.

[0215] In one embodiment, the baffle 513 is located between the base plate 517 and the base 515, and the base plate 517 and the base 515 are sealed to the outer shell 101 and the base 103.

[0216] In some embodiments, the base 515 or bottom plate 517 of the damper 105 can be a separate part from the base 103 or the housing 101, or it can be an integrally formed part. In one possible implementation, the base 515 can be integrally formed with the base 103. For example, the base 515 can be part of the outer wall of the base 103, the baffle 513 is movably connected to the base 515, and the bottom plate 517 is connected to the base 515. In another possible implementation, the bottom plate 517 can be integrally formed with the housing 101. For example, the bottom plate 517 can be part of the inner wall of the housing 101, the base 515 is connected to the bottom plate 517, and the baffle 513 is located between the base 515 and the bottom plate 517. In one possible implementation, for example, the base 515 can be integrally formed with the base 103, the bottom plate 517 can be integrally formed with the outer shell 101, the base 515 can be part of the outer wall of the base 103, the bottom plate 517 can be part of the inner wall of the outer shell 101, the base 515 and the bottom plate 517 are connected, and the baffle 513 is located between the base 515 and the bottom plate 517.

[0217] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 15 to 17, the base plate 517 has a flange 5173 on the side facing away from the baffle 513, and the flange 5173 surrounds the third connecting hole 5171. The air valve 105 also includes a sealing ring 520, which is sleeved on the flange 5173. When the air valve 105 is installed between the outer wall of the base 103 and the inner wall of the outer casing 101, the flange 5173 is used to pass through the exhaust port 130, and the sealing ring 520 is used to seal the connection between the outer casing 101 and the flange 5173, thereby improving the sealing performance between the air valve 105 and the outer casing 101.

[0218] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 15 to 17, the flange 5173 extends radially outward to form a snap fastener 5175. The snap fastener 5175 and the sealing ring 520 are both located on the side of the housing 101 away from the base 103. The snap fastener 5175 is used to hold the sealing ring 520 to prevent the sealing ring 520 from disengaging from the flange 5173.

[0219] In one embodiment, as shown in Figures 15 to 17, a rib 5155 is provided on the side of the baffle 513 facing the base 515 or on the side of the base 515 facing the baffle 513. The extension direction of the second sliding groove is the same as the extension direction of the rib 5155. In this way, the rib 5155 can guide the sliding of the baffle 513 relative to the base 103, thereby reducing the sliding friction between the baffle 513 and the base 515 and increasing the airtightness between the baffle 513 and the base 515.

[0220] In one embodiment, the height range of the rib 5155 is (0, 0.5 mm). For example, the height of the rib 5155 can be 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, or 0.5 mm. In this way, the height of the rib 5155 will not be too high, which would affect the movement between the baffle 513 and the base 515, nor will it be too low, which would affect the guiding effect on the sliding of the baffle 513. It is understood that if the baffle 513 and the base 515 directly contact each other with a large surface, it is easy to cause warping or a very tight fit, which may lead to serious air leakage or jamming of the air valve 105. Therefore, it is necessary to set some ribs 5155 with smaller heights as the mating parts, and the ribs 5155 are set along the long side of the baffle 513, so that the airflow flows along the longer direction of the baffle 513, thereby increasing the air gap.

[0221] It is understood that this application does not limit the extension direction of the second groove to be the same as the extension direction of the rib 5155, and the rib 5155 is provided on the side of the baffle 513 facing the base 515 or on the side of the base 515 facing the baffle 513.

[0222] It is understood that one of the sides of the baffle 513 facing the base 515 and the side of the base 515 facing the baffle 513 is provided with a protruding rib 5155, and the other of the sides of the baffle 513 facing the base 515 and the side of the base 515 facing the baffle 513 includes a flat surface, which fits into the protruding rib 5155. Because the protruding rib 5155 matches the flat surface, while ensuring the airtightness between the baffle 513 and the base 515, it also helps to reduce the friction caused by the relative movement between the baffle 513 and the base 515.

[0223] It is understood that in some embodiments, the protruding rib 5155 can be omitted, the side of the baffle 513 facing away from the base 103 is a first plane, and the side of the base 515 facing the bottom plate 517 includes a second plane. The first plane and the second plane are in contact, so that the mating surfaces of the baffle 513 and the base 515 are both planes, which helps to reduce the frictional resistance between the baffle 513 and the base 515. It is understood that this application does not limit the mating surfaces of the baffle 513 and the base 515 to be planes.

[0224] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 15 to 17, the damper 105 further includes an electromagnet 518 and a permanent magnet 519. One of the electromagnet 518 and the permanent magnet 519 is disposed on the base 515, and the other is disposed on the swing arm 511. The electromagnet 518 is energized to interact with the permanent magnet 519, thereby driving the swing arm 511 to move the baffle 513. Through the interaction between the electromagnet 518 and the permanent magnet 519, the damper 105 can be switched between the open and closed positions, and the cost and thickness are very low. When the damper 105 is in the open position, the first connecting hole 5132, the second connecting hole 5151, the third connecting hole 5171, and the airflow passage are connected. When the damper 105 is in the closed position, the first connecting hole 5132, the second connecting hole 5151, the third connecting hole 5171, and the airflow passage are not connected.

[0225] In one embodiment, the electromagnet 518 includes a soft magnetic yoke structure and a coil. The soft magnetic yoke structure is fixed to a base 515, and the coil is wound around the soft magnetic yoke structure. One end of a swing arm 511 is fixed to a permanent magnet 519 to rotate relative to the base 515, and the other end of the swing arm 511 is connected to a baffle 513. It is understood that this application does not limit the specific structure of the electromagnet.

[0226] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 4, 7, and 18, the hopper 100 further includes an airflow baffle plate 601. The airflow baffle plate 601 is connected to the bottom wall of the receiving tank and divides the receiving tank into at least two tray partitions 602. The tray partitions 602 are used to place trays and have hot air holes 603. The base 103 has at least two heating channels 606 on the side facing away from the airflow baffle plate 601. One end of the heating channel 606 is connected to the heating chamber 113, and the other end of the heating channel 606 is connected to the hot air hole 603. A valve 611 is provided on the heating channel 606.

[0227] In a specific embodiment, the airflow baffle plate 601 and the base 103 can be an integral structure, that is, the airflow baffle plate 601 is part of the base 103, and the airflow baffle plate 601 and the base 103 can be formed by injection molding or printing. Alternatively, the airflow baffle plate 601 and the base 103 can be a detachable structure; the airflow baffle plate 601 and the base 103 can be connected by snap-fit, screw, glue, or other methods.

[0228] In a specific embodiment, there are multiple airflow baffles 601, which are arranged sequentially at intervals along the second direction Y (i.e., the axial direction of the tray). The airflow baffles 601 are used to divide the receiving trough into multiple tray partitions 602, each of which can hold at least one or more trays. It is understood that when trays are placed in the hopper 100, the airflow baffles 601 can isolate the airflow between two adjacent trays.

[0229] In a specific embodiment, the base 103 has a hot air hole 603 at the position of the material tray partition 602. The hot air hole 603 is used to connect the back side and the front side of the base 103, where the back side of the base 103 refers to the side of the base 103 facing the bottom wall of the outer shell 101. The back side of the base 103 has multiple heating channels 606, which are used to connect the heating chamber 113 and the hot air hole 603. That is, the hot air blown out of the heating chamber 113 can be guided to the hot air hole 603 through the heating channels 606 and discharged to the material tray partition 602 through the hot air hole 603, thereby heating and drying the material on the material tray.

[0230] In a specific embodiment, the number of heating channels 606 is the same as the number of hot air holes 603. One end of each heating channel 606 is connected to the heating chamber 113, meaning that the heating channels 606 extend from the heating chamber 113, and each heating channel 606 extends to the corresponding hot air hole 603. Optionally, the hopper 100 further includes at least two second air ducts 144. The second air ducts 144 enclose the heating channels 606, one end of the second air ducts 144 is connected to the heating chamber 113 and discharges the airflow from the heating chamber 113, and the other end of the second air ducts 144 extends to a position in the receiving cavity away from the heating chamber 113. It can be understood that the hot air discharged from the heating chamber 113 can be guided to the hot air hole 603 through the enclosure of the second air ducts 144 and the heating channels 606.

[0231] In a specific embodiment, a valve 611 is provided on the heating channel 606. The valve 611 is used to control the opening or closing of the heating channel 606. It can be understood that valve 611 controlling the opening of the heating channel 606 means that the hot air in the heating channel 606 is not blocked and can flow smoothly to the hot air hole 603; valve 611 controlling the closing of the heating channel 606 means that valve 611 blocks the flow of hot air in the heating channel 606, and the hot air cannot flow to the hot air hole 603. It should be noted that the valve 611 on the heating channel 606 can be the same as or different from the air valve 105 in the above embodiment.

[0232] This application provides a method to independently separate the material trays into different material tray sections 602 by adding an airflow baffle plate 601 in the receiving tank, thereby reducing the volume of air that needs to be heated and thus improving the heating and drying efficiency. By opening hot air holes 603 on the material tray sections 602 and connecting the heating chambers 113 of the hot air holes 603 with heating channels 606, the user can control the conduction of different heating channels 606 through valves 611, thereby giving different drying parameters for different material trays and lines. At the same time, the hot air in the heating chamber 113 can be reused by air entering through the hot air holes 603, reducing the overall heating power of the machine.

[0233] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 4, 6 and 18, a first support shaft 607 is provided on the first side, a second support shaft 608 is provided on the second side, and an airflow baffle plate 601 extends along a first direction X. When the cover 102 is closed to seal the receiving cavity, the airflow baffle plate 601, the first support shaft 607, the second support shaft 608 cooperate with the cover 102 to block the airflow between different tray partitions 602.

[0234] In a specific embodiment, the first support shaft 607 and the second support shaft 608 are arranged at a relative interval along the first direction X. The first support shaft 607 and the second support shaft 608 are rotatably connected to the base 103, that is, the first support shaft 607 and the second support shaft 608 can rotate relative to the base 103. The axial direction of the first support shaft 607 and the second support shaft 608 is parallel to the axis of the material tray (that is, parallel to the second direction Y).

[0235] In a specific embodiment, the material tray is located between the first support shaft 607 and the second support shaft 608, and the material tray is rotatably connected to the first support shaft 607 and the second support shaft 608. During the material tray's rotation and feeding process, the material tray will rotate, and the first support shaft 607 and the second support shaft 608 can rotate in coordination with the rotation of the material tray. The rotatable first support shaft 607 and the second support shaft 608 not only support the material tray but also reduce the friction of the material tray during rotation.

[0236] In a specific embodiment, there are multiple first support shafts 607 and second support shafts 608, with a corresponding set of first support shafts 607 and second support shafts 608 provided in each material tray partition 602. Furthermore, the first support shafts 607 and second support shafts 608 in different material tray partitions 602 are relatively independent, meaning that the rotation of the first support shafts 607 and second support shafts 608 in different material tray partitions 602 will not interfere with each other. This ensures that the feeding process of a single material tray will not affect other material trays.

[0237] In a specific embodiment, one end of the airflow baffle plate 601 along the first direction X can be connected to the first side of the base 103, and the other end is spaced apart from the second side. Alternatively, the two opposite ends of the airflow baffle plate 601 along the first direction X are respectively connected to the first side and the second side of the base 103. Alternatively, both opposite ends of the airflow baffle plate 601 along the first direction X are spaced apart from the first side and the second side of the base 103.

[0238] It should be noted that there are seams or gaps between components in the hopper 100. For example, there is a gap between the rotatable first support shaft 607 and second support shaft 608 and the airflow baffle plate 601 or base 103. This gap is maintained to ensure that the components do not interfere with each other. The airflow in the hopper 100 flows through the seams or gaps in different spaces in the form of leakage, which also falls under the category of the blockage described in this application.

[0239] This application provides a first support shaft 607 and a second support shaft 608 on the first and second sides respectively. The first support shaft 607 and the second support shaft 608 can support the tray, and the first support shaft 607 and the second support shaft 608 can rotate relative to the base 103. This reduces friction in conjunction with the tray feeding rotation. At the same time, after the cover 102 is closed, the first support shaft 607 and the second support shaft 608 can block the airflow between different tray sections 602 with the cover 102 and the airflow baffle 601, thereby reducing the airflow between different tray sections 602 and ensuring that the hot air entering from the hot air hole 603 can continuously blow onto the tray.

[0240] In one embodiment, referring to FIG18, the hot air hole 603 includes a first air hole 604 and a second air hole 605. The first air hole 604 is connected to the outlet of the heating chamber 113 through the heating flow channel 606, and the second air hole 605 is connected to the inlet of the heating chamber 113. In addition, the hot air in the heating chamber 113 is blown towards the tray partition 602 located above the base 103 through the hot air channel. Specifically, the first air hole 604 is used to allow the hot air in the heating flow channel 606 to enter the tray partition 602, and the second air hole 605 is used to allow the gas in the tray partition 602 to flow out into the heating chamber 113.

[0241] In a specific embodiment, the first vent 604 is located at the outlet of the heating channel 606, meaning that the hot air from the heating channel 606 flows out through the first vent 604. The second vent 605 is located close to the heating chamber 113 and can be directly connected to the heating chamber 113, so that the gas in the tray partition 602 can be directly discharged into the heating chamber 113 for reheating through the second vent 605.

[0242] This application adds a first air hole 604 and a second air hole 605 to the tray partition 602, and uses the first air hole 604 to introduce air and the second air hole 605 to exhaust air, so that the heating chamber 113 and the tray partition 602 can form a heat circulation, further enhancing the effect of reusing the hot air in the heating chamber 113 and reducing the overall heating power; this heat circulation, through the cooperation of the first air hole 604, the second air hole 605 and the heating flow channel 606, can blow hot air to a position of the tray away from the heating chamber 113, so that the tray can be fully dried.

[0243] In one embodiment, the air outlet of the fan 109 faces the heating channel 606. The fan 109 includes two air inlets arranged opposite to each other, one of which faces the second air hole 605 and the other air inlet faces the vent hole. The fan 109 draws the gas in the pore into the heating chamber 113 through the vent hole. The area of ​​the air outlet is larger than the opening area of ​​either pore.

[0244] In a specific embodiment, the fan 109 provided in this application is a double-sided air intake fan 109. The fan 109 includes two opposing air intake surfaces, and each air intake surface has an air inlet. One air intake surface of the fan 109 faces the bottom wall of the outer casing 101, and the other air intake surface faces the second air hole 605. In this way, the fan 109 can achieve double-sided air intake, that is, one air inlet of the fan 109 can draw air from the tray partition 602 through the second air hole 605, and the other air inlet can draw air through the vent hole.

[0245] This application enables the fan 109 to draw air from both sides, allowing the fan 109 to not only draw air directly from the tray partition 602 through the second air hole 605, but also draw air from the gaps in the hopper 100 through the bottom air inlet. This not only improves the air delivery efficiency, but also further enhances the efficiency of air circulation in the hopper 100, fully mobilizing the air in the hopper 100 to achieve efficient drying.

[0246] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 18, along the first direction X, the first air hole 604 is close to the first support shaft 607, and the second air hole 605 is close to the second support shaft 608; alternatively, along the axis of the material tray, the first air hole 604 and the second air hole 605 are respectively disposed on both sides of the axis. Specifically, the first air hole 604 can be disposed away from the second air hole 605, so that the hot air entering through the first air hole 604 can fully heat and dry the material tray before flowing out through the second air hole 605, thus allowing for a larger flow range of the hot air within the material tray partition 602.

[0247] In one embodiment, there is one fan 109, and all tray partitions 602 are connected to the fan 109 through heating channels 606. Multiple valves 611 are provided on the heating channels 606, which control the opening and closing of a corresponding heating channel 606 to select one or more tray partitions 602 for heating. Alternatively, the valves 611 are connected to multiple heating channels 606, and the opening and closing of multiple heating channels 606 is controlled by position changes to select one tray partition 602 for heating. For example, the valves 611 include switching components with openings corresponding to multiple heating channels 606. By changing the position, the switching components selectively conduct one heating channel 606, thereby achieving selective heating of one tray partition.

[0248] In a specific embodiment, the number of heating channels 606 and the number of tray partitions 602 are the same, so each tray partition 602 has a corresponding heating channel 606 connected to the fan 109. Each heating channel 606 is provided with a corresponding valve 611, that is, the number of valves 611 is the same as the number of heating channels 606. Optionally, the valves 611 can be located in the heating channel 606 near the hot air hole 603. Each valve 611 can be controlled to open and close independently, that is, by selecting one or more valves 611 to open, the heating channel 606 can be opened to allow air to enter.

[0249] In a specific embodiment, the number of heating channels 606 and the number of tray partitions 602 are the same, so each tray partition 602 has a corresponding heating channel 606 connected to the fan 109. The number of valves 611 can be one. Optionally, the valve 611 can be located near the fan 109 in the heating channel 606. The valve 611 can control the simultaneous opening and closing of multiple heating channels 606, or the valve 611 can control the opening and closing of at least one of the multiple heating channels 606.

[0250] In one embodiment, referring to FIG19, valve 611 includes a one-way seal 609 and a power element 610. The power element 610 is used to drive the air flow in valve 611. When the power element 610 is activated, the one-way seal 609 opens to conduct the heating flow channel 606. After the power element 610 is closed, the one-way seal 609 closes to block the heating flow channel 606. Alternatively, the power element 610 is used to drive the one-way seal 609 in valve 611 to open to conduct the heating flow channel 606. After the power element 610 is closed, the one-way seal 609 closes to block the heating flow channel 606.

[0251] In a specific embodiment, the one-way seal 609 is elastic, and the power component 610 includes a fan with its outlet facing the one-way seal 609. The one-way seal 609 has a blocking state and a conducting state, and can switch between the blocking state and the conducting state. When the power component 610 is activated, the fan blows air towards the one-way seal 609, and the one-way seal 609 deforms under the action of air pressure to make the heating channel 606 open. After the power component 610 is turned off, since the one-way seal 609 is not subject to air pressure and elastically recovers, it blocks the heating channel 606.

[0252] In a specific embodiment, valve 611 in this embodiment can also be used as air valve 105 installed on housing 101 in the above embodiments. That is, air valve 105 installed on housing 101 can also include a one-way seal 609 and a power component 610 for gas exchange between the interior and exterior spaces of silo 100. In other words, in this application, air valve 105 and air valve 106 are the same type of valve, differing only in their installation positions.

[0253] In a specific embodiment, the air valve 105 on the outer casing 101 is located within the heating chamber 113 between the lower side of the base 103 and the outer casing 101. Optionally, the outer casing 101 is provided with an air outlet 131, through which the heating chamber 113 and the external space are connected. After the air valve 105 is opened, the hot air in the hopper 100 can enter the receiving groove 111 through the gap between the base 103 and the outer casing 101, as well as through the gaps in the base 103 itself. Then, the hot air in the receiving groove 111 can enter the heating chamber 113 and be discharged from the hopper 100 through the air valve located in the heating chamber 113.

[0254] In one embodiment, this application also provides a 3D printing feeding device, which includes a material tray and a hopper 100 as described in the above embodiment. A receiving slot 111 is used to receive the material tray, and the material tray is used to carry the material.

[0255] In one embodiment, this application also provides a 3D printing apparatus, which includes a 3D printer and a 3D printing feed device.

[0256] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship of the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer" and other indicators are based on the orientation or positional relationship of the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0257] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes for implementing the above embodiments and equivalent variations made in accordance with the claims of this application are still within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A hopper for a 3D printing feeding device, characterized in that, include: The outer shell encloses the receiving cavity; The base is housed within the receiving cavity; The base has a receiving groove and a heating chamber. The receiving groove is formed on the upper side of the base and is used to receive multiple material trays. The heating chamber is located on the lower side of the base and contains a fan and a heating element. An airflow baffle plate is connected to the bottom wall of the receiving tank, the airflow baffle plate divides the receiving tank into at least two tray partitions, the tray partitions are used to place the trays, and the tray partitions are provided with hot air holes; The base has at least two heating channels on the side facing away from the airflow baffle plate. One end of the heating channel is connected to the heating chamber, and the other end of the heating channel is connected to the hot air hole. A valve is provided on the heating channel.

2. The silo according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base includes a first side and a second side opposite to each other in a first direction, the first side having a first support shaft and the second side having a second support shaft, and the airflow baffle plate extending along the first direction; The hopper also includes a cover, which is connected to the outer shell. When the cover is closed to seal the receiving cavity, the airflow baffle, the first support shaft, and the second support shaft cooperate with the cover to block airflow between different tray sections.

3. The silo according to claim 2, characterized in that, The hot air vent includes a first vent and a second vent. The first vent is connected to the outlet of the heating chamber through the heating channel, and the second vent is connected to the inlet of the heating chamber.

4. The silo according to claim 2, characterized in that, The heating chamber is also provided with a hot air channel facing the receiving tank. The hot air channel is connected to an air outlet. The hot air in the heating chamber is blown through the hot air channel to the material tray section located above the base. There is a gap between the base and the outer shell, and / or, the base is provided with a gap, and the fan is introduced through the gap.

5. The silo according to claim 3, characterized in that, The base is provided with a return air vent on the side facing away from the material tray. The hopper also includes a partition cover, which together with the base encloses the heating chamber. The partition cover is provided with ventilation holes. The air outlet of the fan faces the heating channel. The fan includes two air inlets arranged opposite to each other. One air inlet faces the second air hole, and the other air inlet faces the vent hole. The fan draws the gas in the pore into the heating chamber through the vent hole. The area of ​​the air outlet is larger than the opening area of ​​any of the pores.

6. The silo according to claim 3, characterized in that, Along the first direction, the first air hole is close to the first support shaft, and the second air hole is close to the second support shaft; or, along the axis of the material tray, the first air hole and the second air hole are respectively disposed on both sides of the axis.

7. The silo according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of fans is one, and each of the material tray sections is connected to the fans through the heating channels; the heating channels are provided with multiple valves, which are used to control the opening and closing of a corresponding heating channel to select one or more material tray sections for heating; or, the valves are connected to multiple heating channels and control the opening and closing of multiple heating channels by changing their positions to select one material tray section for heating.

8. The silo according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hopper also includes at least two second air ducts, which enclose the heating channel. One end of the second air duct is connected to the heating chamber and discharges the airflow in the heating chamber. The other end of the second air duct extends to a position in the receiving cavity away from the heating chamber. The second air duct is used to transport the hot airflow to different positions in the receiving cavity.

9. The silo according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve includes a one-way seal and a power component. The power component drives the airflow in the valve. When the power component is activated, the one-way seal opens to open the heating channel. When the power component is deactivated, the one-way seal closes to block the heating channel. Alternatively, the power component drives the one-way seal in the valve to open to open the heating channel. When the power component is deactivated, the one-way seal closes to block the heating channel.

10. The silo according to claim 9, characterized in that, The one-way seal is elastic, and the power component includes a fan.

11. The silo according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hopper also includes an air valve connected to the outer shell. The air valve is located in the heating cavity between the lower side of the base and the outer shell. The air valve is used to open or close the airflow channel between the external space of the hopper and the receiving cavity.

12. The silo according to claim 11, characterized in that, The air valve includes a baffle, a base, and a drive mechanism connected together. An airflow passage is formed between the base and the baffle. The drive mechanism is movable and used to drive the baffle to move relative to the base to open or close the airflow passage.

13. The silo according to claim 12, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes at least one of the following: a rocker arm, a gear, a connecting rod, a cam, a screw, and an electromagnetic coil.

14. The silo according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hopper also includes a drive unit, which includes a drive component, a drive wheel, and a cleaning component. The drive component drives the drive wheel to rotate so that the drive wheel can transport or retract materials. The cleaning component cooperates with the outer circumferential surface of the drive wheel to scrape off material debris from the drive wheel under the drive of the drive unit.

15. The silo according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer shell is also provided with an air inlet, which is connected to the receiving cavity. The base is provided with a return air port. The space between the air inlet and the return air port forms an air intake channel. The air intake channel is used for the fan to intake air from outside the silo. An air intake valve is also provided on the air intake channel to control the opening or closing of the air intake channel.

16. The silo according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base also has a connecting cavity for containing a desiccant. There is an air duct between the heating cavity and the connecting cavity, and the air duct connects the heating cavity and the connecting cavity. The base separates the air duct from the receiving slot. The heating element is located between the fan and the air duct, and the air blown by the fan enters the air duct and the connecting cavity through the heating element.

17. A 3D printing feeding device, characterized in that, The 3D printing feeding device includes a material tray and a hopper according to any one of claims 1-16, wherein the hopper is used to contain the material tray and the material tray is used to carry materials.

18. A 3D printing device, characterized in that, The 3D printing equipment includes a 3D printer and a 3D printing feeding device according to claim 17.

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