Extrusion tip cleaning assembly

• US 7,744,364 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Turley, Patrick W., Taatjes, Thomas L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ewald; Maria Veronica D
• Application Number:
  US11/820,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20080317894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 425/375, 425/225, 425/226, 264/113, 264/308
• US Class Current: 425/225
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92076 Position, e.g. linear or angular
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/922 Viscosity; Melt flow index [MFI]; Molecular weight
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92495 Treatment of equipment, e.g. purging, cleaning, lubricating or filter exchange
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92571 Position, e.g. linear or angular
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/9299 Treatment of equipment, e.g. purging, cleaning, lubricating or filter exchange
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/001 Combinations of extrusion moulding with other shaping operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/09 Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/12 Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/155 Partial coating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/27 Cleaning; Purging; Avoiding contamination
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/272 of dies
• 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 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/209 Heads; Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/35 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling

Abstract

A tip cleaning assembly for use with an extrusion head of an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the tip cleaning assembly comprising a support component, a purge ledge assembly mounted on the support component, at least one set block mounted on the support component adjacent the purge ledge assembly, and at least one contact head removably mounted on the first set block, where the at least one contact head is configured to engage at least one extrusion tip of the extrusion head.

Claims

1. A tip cleaning assembly for use with an extrusion head of an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the tip cleaning assembly comprising:

a support component configured to be mounted in a build chamber of the extrusion-based layered deposition system;

a purge ledge assembly mounted on the support component, wherein the purge ledge assembly comprises;

a first surface configured to extend at a first angle relative to a horizontal plane when the support component is mounted in the build chamber; and

a second surface configured to extend at a second angle relative to the horizontal plane when the support component is mounted in the build chamber, the second angle being shallower than the first angle;

at least one set block adjustably mountable onto the support component adjacent the purge ledge assembly;

at least one mechanism configured to adjust a height of the at least one set block relative to the support component and to fixedly retain the at least one set block at an adjusted height in the build chamber when the support component is mounted in the build chamber; and

at least one contact head removably mountable onto the at least one set block, the at least one contact head being configured to engage at least one extrusion tip of the extrusion head.

2. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 1, further comprising a deflector block mountable on the support component adjacent the purge ledge assembly and the at least one set block.

3. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one mechanism configured to adjust the height of the at least one set block relative to the support component and to fixedly retain the at least one set block at the adjusted height in the build chamber comprises at least one set screw.

4. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one contact head comprises a plate configured to bias under contact force of the extrusion tip.

5. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one contact head further comprises a brush disposed adjacent the plate.

6. A tip cleaning assembly for use with an extrusion head of an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the tip cleaning assembly comprising:

a support component configured to be mounted in a build chamber of the extrusion-based layered deposition system;

a purge ledge assembly mounted on the support component;

a first set block adjustably mountable onto the support component adjacent the purge ledge assembly;

a second set block adjustably mountable onto the support component adjacent the purge ledge assembly and the first set block;

a first mechanism configured to adjust a height of the first set block relative to the support component and to fixedly retain the first set block at a first adjusted height in the build chamber when the support component is mounted in the build chamber;

a second mechanism configured to adjust a height of the second set block relative to the support component independently of the height adjustment to the first set block, and to fixedly retain the first set block at a second adjusted height in the build chamber when the support component is mounted in the build chamber;

a first contact head removably mountable onto the first set block; and

a second contact head removably mountable onto the second set block.

7. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 6, wherein the first adjusted height positions the first contact head at a different height in the build chamber compared to a height at which the second adjusted height positions the second contact head.

8. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 6, wherein the first contact head comprises a first plate configured to bias under contact force of a first extrusion tip of the extrusion head, and a first brush disposed adjacent the first plate.

9. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 8, wherein the second contact head comprises a second plate configured to bias under contact force of a second extrusion tip of the extrusion head, and a second brush disposed adjacent the second plate.

10. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 6, wherein the purge ledge assembly comprises a surface configured to extend at an angle relative to a horizontal plane when the support component is mounted in the build chamber.

11. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 6, further comprising a deflector block mounted on the support component adjacent the purge ledge assembly and the first set block.

12. A tip cleaning assembly for use with an extrusion head of an extrusion-based layered deposition system, the tip cleaning assembly comprising:

a support component configured to be mounted in a build chamber of the extrusion-based layered deposition system;

a first surface operably mounted to the support component and configured to extend at a first angle relative to a horizontal plane when the support component is mounted in the build chamber, the first surface further being configured to receive extruded material from the extrusion head during a purge operation;

a second surface configured to extend at a second angle relative to the horizontal plane when the support component is mounted in the build chamber, the second angle being shallower than the first angle, wherein the second surface is further configured to receive extruded material from the extrusion head during the purge operation;

at least one set block mounted on the support component adjacent the first surface and the second surface; and

at least one contact head removably mountable onto the at least one set block, the at least one contact head being configured to engage at least one extrusion tip of the extrusion head.

13. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 12, further comprising at least one set screw configured to adjust the height of the at least one set block relative to the support component and to fixedly retain the at least one set block at the adjusted height in the build chamber when the support component is mounted in the build chamber.

14. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 12, further comprising a deflector block mountable on the support component adjacent the purge ledge assembly and the at least one set block.

15. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one set block comprises a first set block and a second set block, and wherein the at least one contact head comprises a first contact head removably mountable onto the first set block and a second contact head removably mountable onto the second set block.

16. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one contact head comprises a plate configured to bias under contact force of the extrusion tip.

17. The tip cleaning assembly of claim 16, wherein the at least one contact head further comprises a brush disposed adjacent the plate.