Extruder for three-dimensional printers
First Claim
1. An extruder for a three-dimensional printer, the extruder comprising:
- a drive assembly including a drive gear positioned to drive a build material along a feedpath;
a thermal core in the extruder having an opening passing cylindrically therethrough;
an extrusion head along the feedpath, the extrusion head fitted within the opening in the thermal core, the extrusion head including a top opening to receive the build material, a bottom opening to extrude the build material, and an interior chamber coupling the top opening to the bottom opening along the feedpath, the extrusion head moveably coupled to the thermal core to permit a displacement of the extrusion head axially along an axis of the feedpath relative to the thermal core; and
a sleeve between the thermal core and the extrusion head configured for selective thermal isolation along the feedpath, the sleeve including a mechanical feature to constrain radial movement of the sleeve relative to at least one of the thermal core and the extrusion head.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An extrusion head of an extruder is configured to move along a feedpath independently from a heating element so that the extrusion head can yield to extrusion-related forces. Specifically, the extruder may include an extrusion head movably coupled to a thermal core to permit axial displacement of the extrusion head relative to the thermal core. In use, the extrusion head may be displaced within the thermal core when the extruder is subject to extrusion-related forces (e.g., an upward force created by a refraction of build material or a downward force created by an advance of build material). This motion can facilitate better transitions by the extruder between different layers or z-axis positions in a model during fabrication.
19 Citations
18 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 build material along a feedpath; a thermal core in the extruder having an opening passing cylindrically therethrough; an extrusion head along the feedpath, the extrusion head fitted within the opening in the thermal core, the extrusion head including a top opening to receive the build material, a bottom opening to extrude the build material, and an interior chamber coupling the top opening to the bottom opening along the feedpath, the extrusion head moveably coupled to the thermal core to permit a displacement of the extrusion head axially along an axis of the feedpath relative to the thermal core; and a sleeve between the thermal core and the extrusion head configured for selective thermal isolation along the feedpath, the sleeve including a mechanical feature to constrain radial movement of the sleeve relative to at least one of the thermal core and the extrusion head. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification