Viscosity pump for extrusion-based deposition systems
First Claim
1. A pump system comprising:
- a first drive motor and a second drive motor;
a delivery assembly operably engaged with the first drive motor and configured to feed a solid material under operational power of the first drive motor; and
a screw pump comprising;
a housing that at least partially defines a barrel of the screw pump;
an extrusion tip secured to the housing at a first end of the barrel;
a liquefier secured to the housing and intersecting with the barrel, the liquefier being configured to receive the solid material fed from the delivery assembly, to at least partially melt the received solid material, and to direct the at least partially melted material to the barrel; and
an impeller extending at least partially through the barrel, and configured to drive the at least partially melted material that is directed to the barrel toward the extrusion tip under operational power of the second drive motor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pump system comprising a delivery assembly configured to feed a solid material under operational power of a first drive motor, and a screw pump comprising a housing that at least partially defines a barrel of the screw pump, an extrusion tip secured to the housing at a first end of the barrel, a liquefier secured to the housing and intersecting with the barrel, and an impeller extending at least partially through the barrel. The liquefier is configured to receive the solid material fed from the delivery assembly, to at least partially melt the received solid material, and to direct the at least partially melted material to the barrel, and the impeller is configured to drive the at least partially melted material that is directed to the barrel toward the extrusion tip under operational power of a second drive motor.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A pump system comprising:
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a first drive motor and a second drive motor; a delivery assembly operably engaged with the first drive motor and configured to feed a solid material under operational power of the first drive motor; and a screw pump comprising; a housing that at least partially defines a barrel of the screw pump; an extrusion tip secured to the housing at a first end of the barrel; a liquefier secured to the housing and intersecting with the barrel, the liquefier being configured to receive the solid material fed from the delivery assembly, to at least partially melt the received solid material, and to direct the at least partially melted material to the barrel; and an impeller extending at least partially through the barrel, and configured to drive the at least partially melted material that is directed to the barrel toward the extrusion tip under operational power of the second drive motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A pump system for extruding thermoplastic material supplied as a filament, the pump system comprising:
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a pair of drive rollers that are configured to feed successive portions of the filament; a housing that at least partially defines a barrel having a first end and a vent aperture; a liquefier housing secured to the housing and defining a liquefier cavity that extends circumferentially around the barrel at a location between the first end of the barrel and the vent aperture of the barrel; a feed channel extending through the liquefier housing, and configured to direct the successive portions of the filament fed from the pair of drive rollers to the liquefier cavity; an extrusion tip secured to the housing at the first end of the barrel; and an impeller extending through the barrel and comprising a plurality of grooves that vary in depth along a longitudinal axis of the impeller at least between the liquefier cavity and the first end of the barrel. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An extrusion apparatus for building three-dimensional objects, the extrusion apparatus comprising:
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a pump system comprising; a first drive motor; a filament delivery assembly operably engaged with the first drive motor and configured to feed a filament of a thermoplastic material under operational power of the first drive motor; and a screw pump comprising; a housing that at least partially defines a barrel of the screw pump; an extrusion tip secured to the housing at a first end of the barrel; a liquefier secured to the housing and intersecting with the barrel, the liquefier comprising a feed channel configured to receive the filament fed from the filament delivery assembly; and an impeller extending at least partially through the barrel; a gantry assembly configured to move the pump system in at least one direction; a second drive motor disposed at a remote location from the pump system and the gantry assembly; a belt pulley assembly configured to engage the second drive motor to the impeller of the pump system, thereby allowing the impeller to rotate under operational power of the second drive motor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification