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System and method for moving a rod of build material using a pusher in a 3D printing system

  • US 10,464,260 B2
  • Filed: 04/24/2018
  • Issued: 11/05/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An extrusion assembly for use in a three-dimensional (3D) printing system, the extrusion assembly including:

  • an extrusion head configured to receive a rod of build material having distal and proximal ends relative to the extrusion head, the distal and proximal ends having distal and proximal end surfaces, respectively; and

    an actuation assembly including a pusher, wherein the pusher includes a traveling component and a pushing component, wherein the pushing component includes a cantilevered protrusion that extends radially outward from the traveling component, wherein the cantilevered protrusion includes a pusher interface surface facing the extrusion head and configured to directly contact the distal end surface of the rod to apply an axial force to at least a portion of the distal end surface of the rod along an extrusion axis of the extrusion head, wherein a proximal surface of the traveling component relative to the extrusion head is arranged further proximal relative to the extrusion head than the pusher interface surface, and wherein movement of the traveling component relative to the extrusion head is configured to cause movement of the pusher interface surface in conjunction with the traveling component and toward the extrusion head so as to apply the axial force.

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