Additive manufacturing powder handling system
First Claim
1. An additive manufacturing powder handling system, comprising:
- a powder container including a powder container outlet and a powder container coupling having a predefined dimension;
a vacuum system configured to receive by vacuum force additive manufacturing powder from an additive manufacturing printer and pass the additive manufacturing powder into the powder container, wherein the vacuum system is mounted on a rolling frame, wherein the rolling frame comprises a deck and a plurality of support legs, the deck supported on the plurality of support legs, the vacuum container mounted on the deck;
anda powder container moving apparatus configured to move the powder container between the additive manufacturing printer and the vacuum system, the powder container moving apparatus having a lift, a gripper on the lift, and a rotator on the lift, the gripper configured to hold the powder container, the rotator configured to rotate the gripper and any powder container held by the gripper,wherein the vacuum system includes at least one coupling element configured to receive the powder container coupling.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An additive manufacturing powder handling system includes a powder container and at least two of: an overflow powder collector system configured to collect overflow additive manufacturing powder from the additive manufacturing printer and pass the overflow additive manufacturing powder into the powder container; a vacuum system configured to receive by vacuum force additive manufacturing powder from an additive manufacturing printer and pass the additive manufacturing powder into the powder container; a sieve system configured to filter the additive manufacturing powder; and a powder container moving apparatus configured to move the powder container between any two of the additive manufacturing printer, the overflow powder collector system, the vacuum system, and the sieve system. The powder container includes a powder container coupling. Each of the overflow powder collector system, the vacuum system, and the sieve system includes at least one coupling element configured to receive the powder container coupling.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. An additive manufacturing powder handling system, comprising:
-
a powder container including a powder container outlet and a powder container coupling having a predefined dimension; a vacuum system configured to receive by vacuum force additive manufacturing powder from an additive manufacturing printer and pass the additive manufacturing powder into the powder container, wherein the vacuum system is mounted on a rolling frame, wherein the rolling frame comprises a deck and a plurality of support legs, the deck supported on the plurality of support legs, the vacuum container mounted on the deck; and a powder container moving apparatus configured to move the powder container between the additive manufacturing printer and the vacuum system, the powder container moving apparatus having a lift, a gripper on the lift, and a rotator on the lift, the gripper configured to hold the powder container, the rotator configured to rotate the gripper and any powder container held by the gripper, wherein the vacuum system includes at least one coupling element configured to receive the powder container coupling. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 18)
-
-
10. An additive manufacturing powder handling system, comprising:
-
at least one powder container, the at least one powder container including a powder container outlet; at least one powder container connector; a vacuum system including a vacuum system inlet, a vacuum system outlet, and a vacuum generator, the vacuum system inlet configured to receive by vacuum force additive manufacturing powder from an additive manufacturing printer, the vacuum system outlet coupled with the vacuum system inlet, the vacuum generator coupled with the vacuum system inlet to create a vacuum force directed into the vacuum system through the vacuum system inlet wherein the vacuum system is mounted on a rolling frame; a sieve system including a powder sieve, a sieve system inlet, and a sieve system outlet, the powder sieve to filter the additive manufacturing powder, the sieve system inlet coupled to the powder sieve and configured to receive the additive manufacturing powder from the powder container, the sieve system outlet coupled with the powder sieve; and a powder container moving apparatus to move the powder container between the vacuum system, or the sieve system, the powder container moving apparatus having a lift, a powder container gripper on the lift, and a rotator on the lift, the gripper configured to hold the powder container, the rotator configured to rotate the powder container gripper, the at least one powder container connector configured to detachably connect the at least one powder container with the vacuum system outlet, the sieve system inlet, and the sieve system outlet. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19)
-
Specification