WIDE 3D PRINTER NOZZLE EXTURDER

APPAREIL D'EXTRUSION DE BUSE D'IMPRIMANTE 3D GRAND FORMAT

English Abstract

A wide 3D printer extruder nozzle. The invention provides for a faster way of 3D printing a part, especially a large, solid object using FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling). It consists of a wide extrusion nozzle which has an array of linear solenoids on both sides of the nozzle along its bottom (just above the work area). These solenoids can be independently activated to move forward into the path of the extrusion filament. This will prevent the filament from being deposited onto the build surface in that specific area, but allowing the filament to be deposited in other areas along the width of the extruder. Any combination of the linear solenoids can be moved forward or back allowing any combination of filament from the wide extruder to be deposited onto the build surface. This will allow for the simultaneous build of a variety of features along the entire axis of the extruder.

Claims

Page 1 The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1. A fused deposition modeling wide 3D printer nozzle comprising; Of a top surface from which printing filament will be injected, bottom surface, a pair of side surfaces a pair of end surfaces as well as a middle chamber for melted 3D printer filament, near the bottom surface of the said nozzle will be situated an array of electromagnetic actuators, the said electromagnetic actuators are independently controlled using a micro-controller device and will actuate magnetic rods situated in front of the said electromagnetic actuators within the array. The said electromagnetic rods will be able to move forward and back independently into the path of the 3D printers filament either allowing or preventing the said filament to be deposited on a build surface. 2. A 3D printer nozzle recited in claim 1 consisting of a micro-controller based system for controlling the individual electromagnetic actuators. 3. A 3D printer nozzle recited in claim 1 consisting of an array of linear moving electromagnetic actuators whose rods will be individually moved forward into the path of the 3D printer filament preventing the filament from being deposited onto the print surface creating a hollow feature in a particular area on the layer being worked on. 4. A 3D printer nozzle recited in claim 1 consisting of an array of linear moving electromagnetic actuators whose rods will be individually moved back out of the path of the 3D printer filament allowing the said filament to be deposited onto the print surface thus creating a solid feature in a particular area on the layer being worked on. 5. A 3D printer nozzle recited in claim 1 consisting of a micro-controller based system which will speed or slow the said nozzles filament feed rate based on how Page 2 many electromagnetic actuator rods are forward in the way of the said nozzles filament or back and out of the way of the said nozzles filament, allowing for a consistent filament deposit rate onto the work surface.

Description

CA 02898385 2015-07-27 Page 1 Wide 3D Printer Nozzle Exturder This invention provides for a wide 3D printer nozzle, with a method of closing off individual sections of the nozzle to the flow of printing filament. Background Of The Invention 3D printers are a type of additive manufacturing process were a plastic filament is melted and deposited layer by layer onto a build surface. The nozzles used are typically very narrow allowing for a precise however slow build of a part. Patents related to 3D printing are listed below. U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,492 U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,329 U.S. Patent No. 5,587,913 U.S. Patent No. 5,555,176 Although 3D printers allow for the building of complex structures, the process is very slow especially compared to more traditional technologies such as injection molding or machining. With typically only one nozzle extruding a very thin filament. This invention will allow for the building of a wide area of a layer, with its included features, thus speeding up the build process significantly. Summary Of The Invention The invention consists of a wide nozzle. At the top of the nozzle a 3D printer filament will be fed using a servo or stepper motor. The wide nozzle near its top will act as a funnel. The 3D filament will be spread out along the width of the nozzle and forced downwards using the pressure produced by new filament being fed into it by the servo or stepper motor. At the bottom of the nozzle an array of individually controlled electromagnetic solenoids will move into the path of the filament based on which feature needs to be built. If a solid object needs to be built the electromagnetic solenoids will be moved out of the way of the falling filament allowing it to be deposited onto the build surface. If a hollow feature needs CA 02898385 2015-07-27 Page 2 to be built the electromagnetic solenoids will be moved forward into the path of the falling filament and thus preventing the filament from being deposited onto the build surface in that particular area, creating a hollow feature. Each electromagnetic solenoid (actuator) will be independently controlled by a micro controller, allowing for a number of various features to be build simultaneously. The nozzle will be heated just as a typical 3D nozzle, using a heating unit, other areas of the nozzle may have heat sinks in order to control temperature ranges along the nozzle. A number of nozzles may be used in a single machine giving the ability to use multiple colors or materials. The nozzle will typically move in a linear fashion across the build area. In the drawings, which form a part of this specification, Fig. 1A is an isometric view of the nozzle; Fig. 1B is an isometric view with some parts deleted for clarity of illustration; Fig. 2 is a top view of the nozzle; Fig. 3 is a cross section view taken on line A in fig. 2; Detailed Description Of The Invention The 3D extruder nozzle has an array of electromagnetic actuators 2,3 along its width and on both its sides, running along its bottom (just above the work surface 10).The electromagnetic actuators on opposing sides of the nozzle will be offset allowing for more actuators to be placed along the width of the extruder nozzle and providing for a higher amount of detail in the model being built. In between the electromagnet and the nozzle opening 4 are situated magnetic rods 3. These rods will move forward and back independently into the path of the extruders 3D filament. The forward and back motion of the rods is controlled using a micro controller. The electromagnetic actuator arrays are located in a nickel-iron alloy (mu-metal) housing 7, which will prevent individual electromagnetic actuators form interfering with each other. If a hollow feature needs to be built in any area anywhere along the width of the extruder nozzle, electromagnets in that area will be activated using the micro controller and will CA 02898385 2015-07-27 Page 3 push forward the magnetic rods 3 directly in front of them. The forward motion of the magnetic rods will put them into the nozzle opening 4 and into the path of the filament which is being fed into the nozzle at point 6 and funneled through point 1. Putting the magnetic rods in the path of the filament will prevent the filament from being deposited onto the work surface in that particular area. This will create a hollow section on the layer being worked on. If a solid feature needs to be built on the current layer at any section of the wide nozzle, the polarity of the electromagnets will be reversed and the magnetic rods will be moved back and out of the way of the nozzle opening 4 allowing for the filament to be deposited in that particular area on the the work surface. The magnetic rods will be independently controlled therefore any combination of the rods can be moved forward into the path of the filament or back out of its way, allowing for any combination of solid or hollow features to be built on each layer along the width of the extruder nozzle. The filament feed rate at the top of the nozzle 6 will be changed based on how many rods are blocking the filament. If no rods are forward in the path of the filament, the feed rate will be sped up. If the rods are forward in the path of the filament, the filament feed rate will be slowed, this will ensure a consistent filament deposit speed at the bottom of the nozzle and on to the work surface, the filament feed rate at 6 will be proportionate to how many magnetic rods will be forward and in the way of the deposited filament. The nozzle will be heated as with other FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printer nozzles, the heat source will be applied at strategic points on the nozzles surfaces 8 and 9. Heat sinks will also be used where needed in order to properly control temperature at specific points along the nozzle.

Representative Drawing