Syringe tip assembly and layered deposition systems utilizing the same

• US 8,287,959 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Batchelder, J. Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Cleveland, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mellott, James M
• Application Number:
  US12/595,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20100166969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 427/256
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor

Abstract

A syringe tip assembly comprising a seal component configured to engage a syringe tip, a nozzle configured to slidably engage with the seal component, and a biasing member configured to apply a biasing pressure between the seal component and the nozzle.

Claims

1. A method of building a three-dimensional object with a syringe deposition tool of a layered deposition system, wherein the syringe deposition tool includes an extrusion syringe and a syringe tip assembly, the method comprising:

applying a biasing pressure to separate a syringe body of the extrusion syringe and a nozzle of the syringe tip assembly with a biasing member of the syringe tip assembly that is disposed between the syringe body and the nozzle;

applying pressure to a piston of the extrusion syringe;

compressing the biasing member due to the pressure applied to the piston;

moving the piston through the syringe body after at least partially compressing the biasing member, wherein moving the piston through the syringe body extrudes a material through a syringe tip of the extrusion syringe and through the nozzle; and

removing at least a portion of the pressure applied to the piston such that the applied biasing pressure is greater than the pressure applied to the piston, which at least partially decompresses the biasing member to form a volume within the syringe tip assembly to retain at least a portion of the material

further comprising;

positioning a seal component of the syringe tip assembly around at least the portion of the syringe tip of the extrusion syringe;

positioning the biasing member against the seal component; and

positioning the nozzle of the syringe tip assembly against the biasing member, thereby retaining the biasing member between the seal component and the nozzle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the biasing member comprises a spring.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the seal component around at least the portion of the syringe tip comprises forming a seal between the seal component and the syringe tip.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a sliding engagement between the seal component and the nozzle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein applying pressure to the piston of the extrusion syringe comprises operating a motor operably secured to the piston.

6. The method of claim 5, and further comprising:

providing build data for building the three-dimensional object with the layered deposition system; and

modifying the build data to account for compression of the biasing member.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the biasing member is also disposed at least partially between a syringe tip of the extrusion syringe and the nozzle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the syringe tip assembly further comprises a shaft portion disposed at least partially within the biasing member, the shaft portion having a first end and a second end, the second end being operably engaged with the nozzle, and wherein the method further comprises inserting the syringe tip at least partially within the shaft portion at the first end of the shaft portion.

9. A method of building a three-dimensional object with a syringe deposition tool of a layered deposition system, wherein the syringe deposition tool includes an extrusion syringe and a syringe tip assembly, the method comprising:

inserting the syringe tip assembly onto the extrusion syringe such that a biasing member of the syringe tip assembly is disposed between a syringe body of the extrusion syringe and a nozzle of the syringe tip assembly;

loading the syringe tip assembly and the extrusion syringe onto a frame of the layered deposition system such that the nozzle is a load-bearing portion of the syringe tip assembly and the extrusion syringe that is supported by the frame, wherein the biasing member applies a biasing pressure to separate the syringe body and the nozzle;

applying pressure to a piston of the extrusion syringe to compress the biasing member and to extrude a material from the syringe body; and

at least partially withdrawing the piston to at least partially decompress the biasing member, thereby forming a volume within the syringe tip assembly to retain at least a portion of the material

wherein inserting the syringe tip assembly onto the extrusion syringe comprises;

positioning a seal component of the syringe tip assembly around at least the portion of the syringe tip of the extrusion syringe;

positioning the biasing member against the seal component; and

positioning the nozzle of the syringe tip assembly against the biasing member, thereby retaining the biasing member between the seal component and the nozzle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the biasing member comprises a spring.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein positioning the seal component around at least the portion of the syringe tip comprises forming a seal between the seal component and the syringe tip.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming a sliding engagement between the seal component and the nozzle.

13. The method of claim 9, and further comprising operably connecting the piston to a motor of the layered deposition system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein applying pressure to the piston comprises operating the motor.

15. The method of claim 13, and further comprising:

providing build data for building the three-dimensional object with the layered deposition system; and

modifying the build data to account for compression of the biasing member.