Additive manufacturing system having in-head fiber teasing

• US 10,543,640 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2017
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continuous Composites Inc.
• Original Assignee: Continuous Composites Inc.
• Inventors: Tyler, Kenneth Lyle, Stockett, Ryan C., Beebout, Kaleb Forrest
• Primary Examiner(s): Del Sole, Joseph S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Jamel M
• Application Number:
  US15/682,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20180065300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/209 Heads; Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor

Abstract

A head is disclosed for an additive manufacturing system. The head may include a body, and a nozzle connected to a discharge end of the body. The nozzle may be configured to discharge a composite material including a matrix and a continuous reinforcement that is at least partially coated in the matrix. The head may also include a fiber-teasing mechanism located inside the body and upstream of the nozzle.

Claims

1. A head for an additive manufacturing system having a support, the head comprising:

a body connectable to and moveable by the support;

a wetting location inside the body at which a continuous reinforcement is wetted with a matrix to form a composite material;

a nozzle connected to a discharge end of the body and configured to discharge the composite material; and

a fiber-teasing mechanism located inside the body and positioned upstream of the nozzle and the wetting location, wherein the body, the fiber-teasing mechanism, and the nozzle being configured to move together during movement of the support.

2. The head of claim 1, wherein the fiber-teasing mechanism includes at least one brush having bristles configured to engage the continuous reinforcement during movement of the continuous reinforcement through the body.

3. The head of claim 2, wherein the at least one brush includes a plurality of brushes located at opposing sides of the continuous reinforcement.

4. The head of claim 2, wherein the at least one brush is configured to move in a direction generally orthogonal to a movement direction of the continuous reinforcement through the body.

5. The head of claim 1, wherein the fiber-teasing mechanism is configured to at least one of flatten or separate fibers of the continuous reinforcement prior to the matrix coating the continuous reinforcement.

6. The head of claim 1, wherein the fiber-teasing mechanism includes a jet configured to separate fibers in the continuous reinforcement.

7. The head of claim 1, wherein the fiber-teasing mechanism includes at least one protrusion located in a path of the continuous reinforcement through the body, the at least one protrusion causing the continuous reinforcement to change trajectory.

8. The head of claim 7, wherein the at least one protrusion includes a plurality of protrusions, each located a different radial distance from an axis of the body and at a different axial position.

9. The head of claim 7, wherein the at least one protrusion includes at least one spreading feature configured to spread fibers in the continuous reinforcement outward in a radial direction.

10. The head of claim 9, wherein the at least one spreading feature includes:

a generally cylindrical body; and

at least one of a spiraling groove or ridge that extends from an axial center of the generally cylindrical body outward toward opposing ends of the generally cylindrical body.

11. The head of claim 9, wherein the at least one spreading feature includes a body having a crowning outer surface.

12. The head of claim 9, wherein the at least one spreading feature includes:

a generally cylindrical body; and

a plurality of protuberances extending radially outward from the generally cylindrical body.

13. The head of claim 1, further including a feed mechanism configured to pull the continuous reinforcement through the fiber-teasing mechanism.

14. The head of claim 1, further including a cure enhancer connected to an end of the body adjacent the nozzle and configured to expose the matrix to light energy at an outlet of the nozzle.

15. A head for an additive manufacturing system, comprising:

a body;

a wetting location inside the body at which a continuous reinforcement is wetted with a matrix to form a composite material;

a nozzle connected to a discharge end of the body and configured to discharge the composite material;

a plurality of protrusions located inside the body positioned and upstream of the nozzle and the wetting location, the plurality of protrusions being positioned at different radial distances from an axis of the body and configured to separate fibers of the continuous reinforcement prior to the matrix coating the continuous reinforcement;

a feed mechanism configured to pull the continuous reinforcement through the plurality of protrusions; and

a cure enhancer connected to an end of the body adjacent the nozzle and configured to cure the matrix, the cure enhancer configured to expose the composite material exiting the nozzle to light energy to harden the matrix.

16. An additive manufacturing system, comprising:

a support;

a head connected to an end of the support, and including;

a body;

a wetting location inside the body at which a continuous reinforcement is wetted with a matrix to form a composite material;

a nozzle connected to a discharge end of the body and configured to discharge the composite material; and

a fiber-teasing mechanism located inside the body and positioned upstream of the nozzle and the wetting location;

a feed mechanism configured to pull the continuous reinforcement through the fiber-teasing mechanism before the continuous reinforcement is coated with the matrix;

a cure enhancer connected to the body and configured to enhance curing of the matrix; and

a controller in communication with the support and the head, and configured to selectively cause the support to move the head in multiple dimensions during material discharge.

17. The additive manufacturing system of claim 16, wherein the fiber-teasing mechanism includes at least one brush having bristles configured to engage the continuous reinforcement during movement of the continuous reinforcement through the body.

18. The additive manufacturing system of claim 16, wherein the fiber-teasing mechanism includes a jet configured to separate fibers in the continuous reinforcement.

19. The additive manufacturing system of claim 16, wherein the fiber-teasing mechanism includes a plurality of protrusions located in a path of the continuous reinforcement through the body and configured to cause the continuous reinforcement to change trajectory.