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Liquefier assembly for use in extrusion-based additive manufacturing systems

  • US 9,022,771 B2
  • Filed: 01/03/2014
  • Issued: 05/05/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An extrusion head for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, the extrusion head comprising:

  • a drive mechanism configured to feed a filament of a consumable material at multiple feed rates;

    a liquefier comprising;

    an upstream portion configured to receive the fed filament from the drive mechanism, wherein the upstream portion has an upstream inner surface facing inward and compositionally comprising a fluorinated polymer, and wherein the upstream inner surface has an upstream average inner cross-sectional area;

    a downstream portion configured to receive the consumable material from the upstream portion, wherein the downstream portion has a downstream inner surface facing inward and compositionally comprising a metallic material, and wherein the downstream inner surface has a downstream average inner cross-sectional area that is greater than the upstream average inner cross-sectional area; and

    a shoulder located at an intersection of the upstream portion and the downstream portion;

    an external heater configured to conduct heat to the received filament in the downstream portion to produce a molten material having a meniscus, wherein the shoulder of the liquefier is configured to restrict upward and downward movements of the meniscus while the drive mechanism feeds the filament; and

    an extrusion tip coupled to the downstream portion.

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