Consumable assembly for use in extrusion-based layered deposition systems

• US 8,808,603 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Swanson, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAUTH, GALEN H
• Application Number:
  US13/775,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20130168892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 264/308, 425/190, 425/376.1, 425/377, 206/204
• US Class Current: 264/308
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/00 Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor extrusion blow-moulding B29C49/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/05 Filamentary, e.g. strands
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/18 the components being layers
• 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 64/255 Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling

Abstract

A consumable assembly comprising a container portion configured to retain a supply of filament, a guide tube connected to the container portion, and a pump portion connected to the guide tube.

Claims

1. A method for building a three-dimensional object with an extrusion-based layered deposition system having a mount, the method comprising:

providing a first consumable assembly to the extrusion-based layered deposition system, wherein the first consumable assembly comprises a container portion retaining a supply of a filament, an extruder portion, and a guide tube configured to guide the filament from the container portion to the extruder portion;

placing the container portion at a location that is offset from the mount;

inserting the extruder portion in the mount such that the guide tube extends between the location of the placed container portion and the inserted extruder portion;

creating an electrical connection between the inserted extruder portion and the extrusion-based layered deposition system;

building at least a portion of the three-dimensional object from the filament retained in the container portion; and

interchanging the first consumable assembly with a second consumable assembly.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the building step comprises:

feeding successive portions of the filament from the container portion, through the guide tube, and to the extruder portion;

melting the successively fed portions of the filament in the extruder portion to form an extrudable material; and

extruding the extrudable material from the extruder portion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the extruder portion comprises a liquefier tube.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second consumable assembly comprises a second container portion, a second guide tube, and a second extruder portion, and wherein interchanging the first consumable assembly with the second consumable assembly comprises:

removing the extruder portion and the guide tube of the first consumable assembly from the extrusion-based layered deposition system;

placing the second container portion at a location that is offset from the mount; and

inserting the second extruder portion in the mount such that the second guide tube extends between the location of the placed second container portion and the inserted second extruder portion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein placing the container portion at the location that is offset from the mount comprises loading the container portion to a bay of the extrusion-based layered deposition system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the container portion comprises an outer casing and a spool assembly disposed within the outer casing, and wherein the building step comprises drawing successive segments of the filament from the spool and into the guide tube.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the container portion comprises an outer casing, wherein the supply of the filament comprises a coil of the filament, and wherein the building step comprises drawing successive segments of the filament from the coil and into the guide tube.

8. A method for building a three-dimensional object with an extrusion-based layered deposition system having a mount, the method comprising:

providing a consumable assembly to the extrusion-based layered deposition system, wherein the consumable assembly comprises a container portion;

an extruder portion; and

a filament extending within and between the container portion and the extruder portion;

placing the container portion at a location that is offset from the mount;

inserting the extruder portion in the mount;

creating an electrical connection between the inserted extruder portion and the extrusion-based layered deposition system;

building at least a portion of the three-dimensional object by drawing successive portions of the filament from the placed container portion to the inserted extruder portion; and

removing the extruder portion, the container portion, and any remaining portions of the filament that are within the extruder portion, within the container portion, and extending between the extruder portion and the container portion, from use with the extrusion-based layered deposition system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein placing the container portion at the location that is offset from the mount comprises loading the container portion to a bay of the extrusion-based layered deposition system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the building step comprises depositing an extrudable material of the filament from the inserted extruder portion onto a substrate assembly of the extrusion-based layered deposition system, and wherein the location that the container is placed at is offset from the substrate assembly.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the substrate assembly is retained in a build chamber of the extrusion-based layered deposition system, wherein the location that the container is placed at is offset from the build chamber, and wherein the method further comprises heating the build chamber.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the extruder portion comprises a liquefier tube and an extrusion tip connected to the liquefier tube, and wherein the building step comprises:

feeding successive segments of the filament into the liquefier tube;

melting the fed successive segments of the filament in the liquefier tube to form the extrudable material; and

extruding the extrudable material from the extrusion tip.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the extruder portion further comprises a drive mechanism, and wherein feeding successive segments of the filament into the liquefier tube comprises:

engaging the successive segments of the filament with the drive mechanism; and

driving the engaged successive segments into the liquefier tube.

14. A method for building a three-dimensional object with an extrusion-based layered deposition system having a mount, the method comprising:

providing an interchangeable consumable assembly to the extrusion-based layered deposition system, wherein the interchangeable consumable assembly comprises a container portion, an extruder portion comprising a liquefier tube and an extrusion tip, and a guide tube interconnecting the container portion and the extruder portion;

placing the container portion at a location that is within or adjacent to the extrusion-based layered deposition system such that the container portion is not retained by the mount;

inserting the extruder portion in the mount;

creating an electrical connection between the inserted extruder portion and the extrusion-based layered deposition system;

moving successive segments of a filament from the container portion, through the guide tube, and into the liquefier tube of the inserted extruder portion;

melting the successive segments of the filament in the liquefier tube of the inserted extruder portion to form an extrudable material;

extruding the extrudable material from the extrusion tip of the inserted extruder portion; and

moving the mount with the inserted extruder portion while extruding the extrudable material from the extrusion tip to build at least a portion of the three-dimensional object from the extruded material.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the extruder portion further comprises a heater, and wherein melting the successive segments of the filament in the liquefier tube comprises:

providing electrical power from the extrusion-based layered deposition system, through the electrical connection, and to the heater of the inserted extruder portion to generate heat; and

transferring the heat from the heater to the liquefier tube of the inserted extruder portion.

16. The method of claim 14, and further comprising:

removing the extruder portion and the guide tube from the extrusion-based layered deposition system; and

inserting a second extruder portion of a second interchangeable consumable assembly to the mount.

17. The method of claim 16, and further comprising removing the container portion from the extrusion-based layered deposition system with the extruder portion and the guide tube.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the extruder portion further comprises a drive mechanism, and wherein moving the successive segments of the filament comprises:

engaging the successive segments of the filament with the drive mechanism; and

driving the engaged successive segments into the liquefier tube.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the extruder portion further comprises a motor engaged with the drive mechanism, and wherein driving the engaged successive segments into the liquefier tube comprises operating the motor with electrical power from the extrusion-based layered deposition system.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein moving successive segments of the filament from the container portion comprise drawing the successive segments of the filament from a spool of the container portion.