Print head assembly and print head for use in fused deposition modeling system
First Claim
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1. A print head assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the print head assembly comprising:
- a carriage retained by a gantry mechanism of the additive manufacturing system that is configured to move the carriage substantially in an x-y plane, wherein the carriage is configured to receive a plurality of replaceable print heads and to retain the received print heads at the same time;
at least one suspension mechanism operably connected to the carriage, wherein the carriage and the at least one suspension mechanism are configured to prevent each of the received print heads from moving relative to the carriage in directions parallel to the x-y plane, while also allowing each of the received print heads to be controllably moved in a dimension outside of the x-y plane;
a toggle mechanism for each received print head, which is configured to controllably move the received print head relative to the carriage substantially in the dimension outside the x-y plane; and
a controller configured to independently operate the toggle mechanisms such that the toggle mechanisms controllably move the received print heads independently of each other.
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Abstract
A print head assembly that includes a print head carriage and multiple, replaceable print heads that are configured to be removably retained in receptacles of the print head carriage. The print heads each include a cartridge assembly and a liquefier pump assembly retained by the cartridge assembly.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A print head assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the print head assembly comprising:
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a carriage retained by a gantry mechanism of the additive manufacturing system that is configured to move the carriage substantially in an x-y plane, wherein the carriage is configured to receive a plurality of replaceable print heads and to retain the received print heads at the same time; at least one suspension mechanism operably connected to the carriage, wherein the carriage and the at least one suspension mechanism are configured to prevent each of the received print heads from moving relative to the carriage in directions parallel to the x-y plane, while also allowing each of the received print heads to be controllably moved in a dimension outside of the x-y plane; a toggle mechanism for each received print head, which is configured to controllably move the received print head relative to the carriage substantially in the dimension outside the x-y plane; and a controller configured to independently operate the toggle mechanisms such that the toggle mechanisms controllably move the received print heads independently of each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A print head assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the print head assembly comprising:
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a plurality of replaceable print heads, each having a cartridge assembly and a liquefier pump assembly; a carriage retained by a gantry mechanism of the additive manufacturing system that is configured to move the carriage substantially in an x-y plane, wherein the carriage is configured to receive the plurality of replaceable print heads and to retain the received print heads at the same time; at least one suspension mechanism operably connected to the carriage, wherein the carriage and the at least one suspension mechanism are configured to prevent each of the received print heads from moving relative to the carriage in directions parallel to the x-y plane, while also allowing each of the received print heads to be controllably moved in a dimension outside of the x-y plane; a toggle mechanism for each received print head, which is configured to controllably and independently move the received print head relative to the carriage substantially in the dimension outside the x-y plane; and a controller configured to independently operate the toggle mechanisms such that the toggle mechanisms controllably move the received print heads independently of each other. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A print head assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the print head assembly comprising:
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a first replaceable print head having a first cartridge assembly and a first liquefier pump assembly; a second replaceable print head having a second cartridge assembly and a second liquefier pump assembly; a carriage retained by a gantry mechanism of the additive manufacturing system that is configured to move the carriage substantially in an x-y plane, wherein the carriage is configured to receive the first replaceable print head and the second replaceable print head and to retain the received first and second print heads at the same time; at least one suspension mechanism operably connected to the carriage, wherein the carriage and the at least one suspension mechanism are configured to prevent the received first and second print heads from moving relative to the carriage in directions parallel to the x-y plane, while also allowing each of the received first and second print heads to be controllably moved in a dimension outside of the x-y plane; a first toggle mechanism configured to controllably move the received first print head relative to the carriage substantially in the dimension outside the x-y plane; a second toggle mechanism configured to controllably move the received second print head relative to the carriage substantially in the dimension outside the x-y plane, independently of the controlled movement of the received first print head; and a controller configured to operate the first and second toggle mechanisms in a manner that controllably moves the received first and second print heads independently of each other. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification