Three-dimensional printer tool systems
First Claim
1. An extruder for a three-dimensional printer, the extruder comprising:
- a drive assembly including a drive gear positioned to drive a filament along a feedpath through the extruder; and
an extrusion head including an input proximal to the drive assembly along the feedpath and a nozzle distal to the drive assembly along the feedpath, the input coupled to the nozzle by a chamber within the extrusion head, the extrusion head moveably coupled to the drive assembly to permit movement between the extrusion head and the drive assembly parallel to an axis of the feedpath.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An extruder or other similar tool head of a three-dimensional printer is slidably mounted along a feedpath of build material so that the extruder can move into and out of contact with a build surface according to whether build material is being extruded. The extruder may be spring-biased against the forward feedpath so that the extruder remains above the build surface in the absence of applied forces, and then moves downward into a position for extrusion when build material is fed into the extruder. In another aspect, modular tool heads are disclosed that can be automatically coupled to and removed from the three-dimensional printer by a suitable robotics system. A tool crib may be provided to store multiple tool heads while not in use.
25 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An extruder for a three-dimensional printer, the extruder comprising:
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a drive assembly including a drive gear positioned to drive a filament along a feedpath through the extruder; and an extrusion head including an input proximal to the drive assembly along the feedpath and a nozzle distal to the drive assembly along the feedpath, the input coupled to the nozzle by a chamber within the extrusion head, the extrusion head moveably coupled to the drive assembly to permit movement between the extrusion head and the drive assembly parallel to an axis of the feedpath. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification