HAND-HELD THREE-DIMENSIONAL DRAWING DEVICE
First Claim
1. A three-dimensional (3D) drawing device comprising:
- a housing configured to fit in a user'"'"'s hand and shaped to allow manipulation of the housing like a pen, the housing having a first end and a second end and being configured for introduction of a strand of feed stock through the second end and into an internal volume of the housing;
a nozzle assembly at the first end of the housing and at least partially disposed within the housing and having an exit nozzle;
a motor disposed within the housing;
a gear train disposed within the housing and operatively coupled between the motor and the strand;
a first actuator disposed on an outer surface of the housing between the first end and the second end; and
a variable speed control mechanism operatively connected to the motor and the first actuator to adjust a rate of extrusion of the strand out of the exit nozzle.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A three-dimensional drawing device can include a housing configured for to be held in user'"'"'s hand, shaped to allow manipulation of the housing like a pen, and configured to accept a strand of thermoplastic material. The drawing device has a nozzle assembly with an exit nozzle and a motor connected to a gear train that engages the strand such that rotation of the motor causes the feed stock to be extruded out of the exit nozzle to form a three-dimensional object. The motor can be controlled using a variable speed control mechanism or first and second actuators, thereby controlling movement of the strand, for example, to advance or retract the strand relative to the nozzle assembly.
1 Citation
20 Claims
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1. A three-dimensional (3D) drawing device comprising:
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a housing configured to fit in a user'"'"'s hand and shaped to allow manipulation of the housing like a pen, the housing having a first end and a second end and being configured for introduction of a strand of feed stock through the second end and into an internal volume of the housing; a nozzle assembly at the first end of the housing and at least partially disposed within the housing and having an exit nozzle; a motor disposed within the housing; a gear train disposed within the housing and operatively coupled between the motor and the strand; a first actuator disposed on an outer surface of the housing between the first end and the second end; and a variable speed control mechanism operatively connected to the motor and the first actuator to adjust a rate of extrusion of the strand out of the exit nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A three-dimensional (3D) drawing device comprising:
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a housing configured to fit in a user'"'"'s hand and shaped to allow manipulation of the housing like a pen, the housing having an internal volume and a port that permits insertion of a strand of material into the internal volume; a gear train disposed within the internal volume to receive and move the strand when engaged with the gear train; a motor, disposed within the internal volume, operatively coupled with the gear train to drive motion of the strand; a nozzle assembly disposed at a distal end of the housing for melting and extruding the strand out of an exit nozzle; and first and second actuators coupled to the housing to actuate the motor to control a movement of the strand, the first and second actuators being configured to advance or retract the strand relative to the nozzle assembly. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification