Fixed printhead fused filament fabrication printer and method
First Claim
1. A fused filament fabrication printer comprising:
- a frame;
at least one printhead fixedly mounted to the frame;
a first carriage mounted to the frame for vertical motion;
a second carriage mounted to the first carriage for horizontal motion;
a build platform, having a start-print surface, the build platform rotatably mounted to the second carriage, and positioned opposite the printhead(s), so that as the build platform rotates and moves in a horizontal direction opposite the printhead(s), the printhead(s) scan in a print plane parallel to the start-print surface;
wherein the first carriage mounted to the frame for vertical motion is arranged to move away from the printhead(s) so that the start-print plane is moved away from the printhead(s).
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fused filament fabrication printer uses a plurality of fixed printing heads mounted to a structure over a build platform on which the model is built by constructing each layer of the model as the build platform is indexed through a multiplicity of successive print planes. The build platform may be in the form of a circular disk mounted for rotation about a z-axis and for linear motion along the z-axis between successive print planes, and for linear motion along a y-axis which is a selected radial direction perpendicular to the z-axis. Because the printheads are fixed, multiple printheads are easily affixed with respect to the build platform along the same radial line defining the y-axis transverse to the selected radial direction along which the build platform moves.
84 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A fused filament fabrication printer comprising:
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a frame; at least one printhead fixedly mounted to the frame; a first carriage mounted to the frame for vertical motion; a second carriage mounted to the first carriage for horizontal motion; a build platform, having a start-print surface, the build platform rotatably mounted to the second carriage, and positioned opposite the printhead(s), so that as the build platform rotates and moves in a horizontal direction opposite the printhead(s), the printhead(s) scan in a print plane parallel to the start-print surface; wherein the first carriage mounted to the frame for vertical motion is arranged to move away from the printhead(s) so that the start-print plane is moved away from the printhead(s). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A fused filament fabrication printer comprising:
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a frame; a first carriage mounted to the frame for vertical motion; a second carriage mounted to the first carriage for horizontal motion; a build platform having a surface, the build platform rotatably mounted to the second carriage, so that rotation of the build platform defines an axis of rotation; a plurality of printheads mounted to the frame along lines extending through the axis of rotation defined by the build platform; wherein the build platform is positioned opposite the printheads, so that as the build platform rotates and moves in a horizontal direction opposite the printheads, so that the printheads can print in a print plane parallel to the surface of the build platform, as the build platform is moved relative to the printheads; wherein the first carriage mounted to the frame for vertical motion is arranged to move away from the printheads so that the print plane is moved away from the printheads. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification