Printing system with self-purge sediment prevention and fumes removal arrangements
First Claim
1. A printing system for manufacturing three-dimensional objects, the system comprising:
- a housing for supporting a print head having a plurality of nozzles located in a nozzle area for expelling a printing fluid towards a printing area during a multi-layer additive process;
a mask located between the nozzle area and the printing area, the mask including an opening through which the printing fluid is expelled towards the printing area;
at least one processor configured to cause a purging of the print head by forcing printing fluid through the plurality of nozzles when the print head is not printing; and
a pump configured to remove the purged printing fluid and to prevent the purged printing fluid from dripping through the opening.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A printing head assembly with integrated purge mechanism is disclosed. The printing head assembly comprises: (a) a liquid dispensing head comprising one or more dispensing nozzles enclosed in a nozzle plate, driven by at least first and second pressures, and (b) a shielding mask including an opening in front of the one or more nozzles, wherein the opening being configured such that when printing liquid is dispensed from the head driven by the first pressure, the liquid being dispensed in pulses through the opening in the shielding mask, and (ii) when purge printing liquid is dispensed from the head driven by the second pressure, the liquid being drawn to a capillary gap formed between the shielding mask and the nozzle plate thereby removing the purge printing liquid from the nearby nozzles.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A printing system for manufacturing three-dimensional objects, the system comprising:
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a housing for supporting a print head having a plurality of nozzles located in a nozzle area for expelling a printing fluid towards a printing area during a multi-layer additive process; a mask located between the nozzle area and the printing area, the mask including an opening through which the printing fluid is expelled towards the printing area; at least one processor configured to cause a purging of the print head by forcing printing fluid through the plurality of nozzles when the print head is not printing; and a pump configured to remove the purged printing fluid and to prevent the purged printing fluid from dripping through the opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification