CONNECTORS MANUFACTURED BY THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING

• US 20140084583A1
• Filed: 11/27/2013
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A Raymond Et Compagnie
• Original Assignee: A Raymond Et Compagnie
• Inventors: Hemingway, Todd L., Jackson, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 9,844,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 285/374
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/124 using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/00 Joints with sleeve or socket F16L13/00, F16L15/00, F16L17/00, F16L19/00, F16L25/0027, F16L27/00, F16L37/00 take precedence ; specially adapted to be made of plastics or to be used with pipes made of plastics F16L47/06; specially adapted for pipes of brittle material F16L49/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/02 in which the connection is maintained only by friction of the parts being joined F16L37/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0982 with a separate member for releasing the coupling

Abstract

A hollow conduit is provided. In another aspect, a quick connector, suitable to carry fluid therethrough, is made of layers of material, a light curable material and/or multiple built-up materials. Another aspect uses a three-dimensional printing machine to emit material from an ink jet printing head to build up a conduit.

Claims

1. A method of making a conduit adapted for carrying fluid, the method comprising:

(a) depositing a layer of material onto a support surface;

(b) depositing subsequent layers of the material upon each prior layer until the conduit is completely created;

(c) creating the conduit to comprise a hollow bore extending inside an outer wall made of the material with at least one die-locked bend therein between a female end and a male end of the conduit, as part of the depositing steps;

(d) surrounding at least a majority of the conduit with a gas during the depositing and creating steps;

(e) curing the conduit so that the layers of the material bond together; and

(f) removing the completed conduit from the support surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the conduit is a liquid carrying tube-connector, the method further comprising using the deposited layers to create the female end and the opposite male end of a smaller cross-sectional dimension than the female end.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising using the deposited layers to create a flexible coupling and a rigid insert substantially simultaneously with the tube connector in the same machine cycle, at least part of the coupling and at least part of the insert being created inside the female end, the insert being hollow, and the insert being removeable from the coupling and female end after the curing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gas is air, the bore inside the conduit includes at least two turns, and the wall is a single piece.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising flowing the material from a head positioned above the support surface, at least one of the head and the support surface automatically moving relative to the other according to computer instructions in order to create identical multiples of the conduit in the same machine cycle, free of contraction or expansion due to the manufacture thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the material is a three-dimensionally printable polymer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the material is a polymeric string emitted from a moveable head in a continuous manner from a spool which supplies the string to the head.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least ten of the conduits are substantially simultaneously manufactured in a single machine cycle in less than ninety minutes.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising flowing the material from an ink jet printing head including openings arranged in a linear array such that multiple material flows are simultaneously occurring for each layer of the conduit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the conduit is a valve comprising a moveable fluid flow-blocking member located at least partially inside the hollow bore, and the member is created substantially simultaneously with the creation of the conduit such that post-curing assembly is not required.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a seal in the hollow bore integral with the wall by depositing a layer of a second and more flexible material adjacent the material defining the wall, within the same machine cycle.

12. A method of manufacturing a hollow conduit adapted for carrying fluid, the method comprising:

(a) emitting a first material from at least a first opening in a machine;

(b) emitting at least a second and different material from at least a second machine opening; and

(c) depositing at least one of the materials at desired locations on a support surface of the machine to build up a complete body of the hollow conduit including a through-bore;

wherein the hollow conduit comprises a first section made of the first material and a second section made of the second material, with the sections being integrally attached together as a single piece by the depositing step.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the hollow conduit is a liquid carrying tube-connector, the method further comprising using at least one of the deposited materials to create a female end and an opposite male end of a smaller cross-sectional dimension than the female end.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising using at least one of the deposited materials to create a flexible coupling and a rigid insert substantially simultaneously with the tube connector in the same machine cycle, at least part of the coupling and at least part of the insert being created inside the female end, the insert being hollow, and the insert being removeable from the coupling and female end after curing of the hollow conduit.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising flowing the materials from an ink jet printing head including multiples of the openings being arranged in a linear array such that the materials simultaneously flow for each layer of the hollow conduit.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising flowing the materials from a head positioned above the support surface, at least one of the head and the support surface automatically moving relative to the other according to computer instructions in order to create identical multiples of the hollow conduit in the same manufacturing cycle of the machine, free of part-to-part tolerance differences.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the materials are three-dimensionally printable polymers.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein at least ten of the hollow conduits are substantially simultaneously manufactured in the machine in less than ninety minutes.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the hollow conduit is a valve comprising a moveable fluid flow-blocking member located at least partially inside the through-bore, and the member is created substantially simultaneously with the creation of the hollow conduit such that post-curing assembly is not required.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising creating a seal in the through-bore integral with the body by depositing the second material, which is more flexible, adjacent the material defining the body, within the same machine cycle.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the hollow conduit is substantially surrounded by a gas while the depositing step occurs.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the first section is more flexible than the second section.

23. A method of using a three-dimensional printing machine, the method comprising:

(a) emitting material from an ink jet printing head of the machine;

(b) building up a fluid carrying conduit by placing the material to define an elongated and hollow body; and

(c) curing the fluid carrying conduit with light as the conduit is being built up.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the fluid carrying conduit is a liquid carrying tube-connector, the method further comprising using the material to create a female end and a male end of a smaller cross-sectional dimension than the female end.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising using the material to create a flexible coupling and a rigid insert substantially simultaneously with the connector in the same machine cycle, at least part of the coupling and at least part of the insert being created inside the female end, the insert being hollow, and the insert being removeable from the coupling and female end after the curing.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising building up the fluid carrying conduit on a layer by layer basis, the machine further comprising a support surface upon which the material is built up, and at least one of the head and the support surface moving relative to the other to create each layer with a movement pass.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the material is a three-dimensionally printable polymer.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the material is a polymeric string supplied to the head by a spool.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising flowing the material from the ink jet printing head through openings arranged in a linear array such that multiple material flows are simultaneously occurring for each layer of the fluid carrying conduit.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the fluid carrying conduit is a valve comprising a moveable fluid flow-blocking member located at least partially inside the hollow body, and the member is created substantially simultaneously with the creation of the fluid carrying conduit such that post-curing assembly is not required.

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising creating a seal inside the hollow body integral with the conduit by depositing a second and more flexible material adjacent the material defining the body, within the same machine cycle.

32. A method of making a functional quick connector adapted to carry fluid therethrough, the method comprising:

(a) using at least one ink jet printer opening to emit at least one three-dimensionally printable polymer to create an enlarged female end section of the quick connector;

(b) using the at least one ink jet printer opening to emit the at least one three-dimensionally printable polymer to create a male end section of the quick connector;

(c) using the at least one ink jet printer opening to emit the at least one three-dimensionally printable polymer to create a middle section with at least one bend in an internal bore between the ends; and

(d) using the at least one ink jet printer opening to emit a different three-dimensionally printable polymer to create a seal integrally attached to at least one of the sections.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising using the at least one ink jet printer opening to emit the at least one three-dimensionally printable polymer to create a flexible coupling at least partially within one of the sections of the quick connector.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising using the at least one ink jet printer opening to emit the at least one three-dimensionally printable polymer to create a male insert within the female section of the quick connector during the creation of the quick connector, the male insert having a through-bore and being removeable from the female section after the quick connector and male insert are cured.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising creating sharp angled and die-locked corners in the quick connector.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising coupling tubes to the end sections of the quick connector, flowing pressurized fluid of at least five bar through the quick connector, and the quick connector withstanding at least two hundred pounds of extraction force with regard to the tubes, without failure.

37. The method of claim 32, further comprising flowing the polymer from a head positioned above a support surface, at least one of the head and the support surface automatically moving relative to the other according to computer instructions in order to create multiples of the quick connector in the same manufacturing cycle.

38. The method of claim 32, further comprising curing the polymers with light as the polymer is built up to create the sections.

39. The method of claim 32, further comprising manufacturing at least ten of the quick connectors during a machine cycle within ninety minutes.

40. The method of claim 32, further comprising building up the quick connector on top of a stationary machine support surface, on a layer by layer basis.

41. The method of claim 32, wherein the quick connector is substantially surrounded by a gas while the using steps occur.

42. A method of making a functional fluid valve, the method comprising:

(a) using at least one ink jet printer opening to emit at least one three-dimensionally printable polymer to create a body section of the valve between open end sections, a bore extending through the sections; and

(b) using the at least one ink jet printer opening to emit the at least one three-dimensionally printable polymer to create a fluid flow-blocking member located at least partially inside the body section, the member being created substantially simultaneously with the creation of an adjacent portion of the body section; and

(c) creating the member relative to the sections during their manufacture so that the member is selectively moveable after the manufacture to block and open the bore in at least one valve operating condition.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the valve is a one-way flow restricting valve.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising creating the member within the body before the sections having been completely created.

45. The method of claim 42, further comprising making the member larger than any external opening in the sections to prevent the member from being removed from the valve.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein the member includes a round ball and the end sections each comprise a frusto-conical external shape adapted to receive a flexible tube thereon.

47. A conduit adapted to carry fluid comprising:

a first end section of the conduit including at least one three-dimensionally printable material;

a second end section of the conduit including the at least one three-dimensionally printable material;

a middle section of the conduit, located between the end sections, including the at least one three-dimensionally printable material; and

a flexible seal, attached to at least one of the sections as an integral single part, including the at least one three-dimensionally printable material;

the sections including a bore extending therethrough.

48. The conduit of claim 47, wherein the sections are part of a rigid quick connector.

49. The conduit of claim 48, further comprising a flexible coupling attached to at least one of the sections, the coupling removeably retaining a male insert connected to one of the end sections

50. The conduit of claim 47, wherein the seal is at least partially located in a groove internal to at least one of the sections.

51. The conduit of claim 47, wherein the at least one material is polymeric.

52. The conduit of claim 47, wherein the material for the seal is different than the material for the sections.

53. The conduit of claim 47, wherein the middle section and its bore include at least one bend that creates a die-lock condition.

54. The conduit of claim 47, wherein the first end section is a female end of a larger outside dimension than the second end section which is a male end, further comprising a first hollow male insert fitting within the female end and a second hollow tube fitting around the male end.

55. The conduit of claim 47, wherein the material is light curable.

56. The conduit of claim 47, wherein pressurized fluid of at least five bar flows through the conduit and the conduit withstands at least two hundred pounds of extraction force from a tube coupled to one of the end sections thereof, without failure.