Extruder Feed System

• US 20150086668A1
• Filed: 07/31/2014
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Perez, Alfonso Alexander, Haid, Christopher Michael, Pena Doll, Mateo, Pieper, Forrest W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,912,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 425/376.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92571 Position, e.g. linear or angular
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/9258 Velocity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/926 Flow or feed rate
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92904 Die; Nozzle zone
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/02 Small extruding apparatus, e.g. handheld, toy or laboratory extruders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/05 Filamentary, e.g. strands
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/2528 Drive or actuation means for non-plasticising purposes, e.g. dosing unit
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/266 Means for allowing relative movements between the apparatus parts, e.g. for twisting the extruded article or for moving the die along a surface to be coated
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/2886 of fibrous, filamentary or filling materials, e.g. thin fibrous reinforcements or fillers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/865 Heating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/92 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• 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 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 51/00 Forwarding filamentary material stretch-spinning methods D01D5/12; drawing or drafting rovings or the like D01H5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/10 Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/188 by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells

Abstract

Extruder feed system. The system includes a pair of spaced-apart, internally and oppositely threaded rotatable elements for receiving and engaging a plastic filament material. An electric motor rotates the rotatable elements in opposite directions thereby to drive the filament into a liquefier chamber for subsequent discharge through a nozzle. The system provides very accurate layer-by-layer build up.

Claims

1. Extruder feed system comprising:

a pair of spaced-apart, internally and oppositely threaded rotatable elements for receiving and engaging a filament material; and

a motor for rotating the rotatable elements in opposite directions thereby to drive the filament into a liquefier chamber for subsequent discharge through a nozzle.

2. The system of claim 1 further including a gear train driven by the motor to rotate the rotatable elements in opposite directions.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the motor is a stepper motor.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the motor is a DC motor.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the gear train includes a beveled gear driven by the motor.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the rotatable elements are internally threaded hex nuts.

7. The system of claim 1 further including a control loop for controlling power of the motor thereby to control the filament material extrusion rate.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the motor is a pneumatic motor, internal combustion engine or an AC motor.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein the gear train includes a belt or cable driven with pulleys.