Fluid-dispensing head for a 3D printer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A printer head assembly, comprising:
- a support for coupling the printer head assembly to a 3D printer; and
a fluid-dispensing head includinga manifold,first and second nozzles mounted to the manifold, each of the first and second nozzles having an outlet and a respective valve member opening and closing the respective outlet, wherein, when the outlet of a nozzle is open, the respective nozzle may dispense a flowable material from the manifold onto a substrate,a rocker oscillating the fluid-dispensing head about a rocker axis and moving each of the first and second nozzles to and from respective nozzle-operating positions, wherein,when one of the first and second nozzles is in its respective operating position, the outlet of the nozzle that is in the nozzle-operating position is open for dispensing the flowable material,with one of the first and second nozzles in its nozzle-operating position, the outlet of the other of the first and second nozzles is closed and disposed farther from the substrate than the outlet of the one of the first and second nozzles that is in its nozzle-operating position, andthe rocker includesat least one cam surface for engaging a respective fixture, located on the support, and, upon engagement with the fixture, displacing the rocker and moving the fluid-dispensing head, andfirst and second abutments abutting and engaging respective valve members for opening and closing the outlets of each of the first and second nozzles when a respective nozzle is in its nozzle-operating position, andan actuator controlling angular position of the rocker.
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Abstract
A head assembly for an extrusion-based 3D printer includes: a fluid-dispensing head having a manifold and at least two fluid-dispensing nozzles, of different sizes, which are mounted in communication with a melt chamber in a manifold. Outlets of each nozzle are closed by respective valve members. A rocker serves both to pivot the nozzles to their lowermost nozzle-operating position and to actuate the valve members, for ready switching between the valves, such that the smaller nozzle can be used for high resolution work, and the larger nozzle can be used for bulk infill.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A printer head assembly, comprising:
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a support for coupling the printer head assembly to a 3D printer; and a fluid-dispensing head including a manifold, first and second nozzles mounted to the manifold, each of the first and second nozzles having an outlet and a respective valve member opening and closing the respective outlet, wherein, when the outlet of a nozzle is open, the respective nozzle may dispense a flowable material from the manifold onto a substrate, a rocker oscillating the fluid-dispensing head about a rocker axis and moving each of the first and second nozzles to and from respective nozzle-operating positions, wherein, when one of the first and second nozzles is in its respective operating position, the outlet of the nozzle that is in the nozzle-operating position is open for dispensing the flowable material, with one of the first and second nozzles in its nozzle-operating position, the outlet of the other of the first and second nozzles is closed and disposed farther from the substrate than the outlet of the one of the first and second nozzles that is in its nozzle-operating position, and the rocker includes at least one cam surface for engaging a respective fixture, located on the support, and, upon engagement with the fixture, displacing the rocker and moving the fluid-dispensing head, and first and second abutments abutting and engaging respective valve members for opening and closing the outlets of each of the first and second nozzles when a respective nozzle is in its nozzle-operating position, and an actuator controlling angular position of the rocker. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification