Powder container with socket connector for an additive manufacturing process

1 . A powder container for handling powder in an additive manufacturing process, the powder container comprising at least:

a powder vessel enclosing a vessel volume for storing said powder,

a vessel support structure supporting the powder vessel,

a set N of n sensors configured to determine a set of n observables, wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to two, n∈{2, 3, 4, . . . , n max },

a set L of l actuators configured to drive at least one mechanical device of the powder container, wherein l is a positive integer number,

characterized in that the powder container further comprises at least

(i) transportation means attached to the vessel support structure, and

(ii) a plug or socket connector having electric terminals, a fluid terminal, and/or a waveguide port aggregated therein and configured to be connected with a corresponding connector of a powder handling station in the additive manufacturing process at least to avoid unintended errors in operation of the powder container caused by mis-connecting or not connecting an electric terminal, a fluid terminal, and/or a waveguide port of the plug or socket connector to the powder handling station,

and in that

each sensor of a subset M of m sensors, of the set N of n sensors, is connected via a separate measurement line to a corresponding separate electric terminal, fluid terminal, and/or waveguide port of said plug or socket connector, wherein m is an integer number with 2≤m≤n, to avoid said unintended errors, and/or

in that

each actuator of at least a subset K of k actuators, of the set L of l actuators, is connected via a separate actuator control line to a corresponding separate electric terminal, fluid terminal, and/or a waveguide port of said plug or socket connector, wherein k is an integer number with 2≤k≤l,

wherein:

an inert-gas inlet valve and/or a pressure-reduction valve of the powder container are/is located in an inert gas line providing a fluid communication between an inert-gas terminal of said plug or socket connector of the powder container and an inert-gas inlet of the powder vessel.

2 . A powder container of claim 1 , wherein the powder container further comprises at least:

a first actuator configured to drive a first mechanical function of the powder container,

a powder-inlet valve with a powder-inlet valve inlet and with a powder-inlet valve outlet, wherein the powder-inlet valve outlet is connected to a powder inlet of the powder vessel and the powder-inlet valve inlet is connected with a powder-inlet port of the powder container, and/or

a powder-outlet valve with a powder-outlet valve inlet and with a powder-outlet valve outlet, wherein the powder-outlet valve inlet is connected to a powder outlet of the powder vessel and the powder-outlet valve outlet is connected with a powder-outlet port of the powder container.

3 . A powder container of claim 1 , comprising at least one funnel in fluid communication with a powder inlet of the powder vessel and/or a powder outlet of the powder vessel.

4 . A powder container of claim 1 ,

wherein the set N of n sensors comprises at least one of:

a vessel pressure sensor configured to measure pressure in the vessel volume,

a force sensor configured to measure a force exerted by the powder vessel on a support frame rotatably supporting the vessel support structure,

a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure upstream of a powder-inlet valve,

a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure downstream of a powder-outlet valve,

a differential pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure difference between the vessel volume and a space upstream of the powder-inlet valve,

a differential pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure difference between the vessel volume and a space downstream of the powder-outlet valve,

a gas concentration sensor configured to determine at least the partial pressure and/or the concentration of a gas constituent of a gas in the vessel volume and/or the space upstream the powder-inlet valve and/or the space downstream the powder-outlet valve,

an upper powder level sensor located in an upper third of the powder vessel and configured to determine if a powder level in the powder vessel is above or below a location of the upper powder level sensor, and

a lower powder level sensor located in a lower third of the powder vessel and configured to determine if a powder level in the powder vessel is above or below a location of the lower powder level sensor.

5 . A powder container of claim 1 , wherein:

the powder container has an inert gas intake connector,

the powder container has a pressure-reducing valve with a high-pressure inlet and a low-pressure outlet,

the powder vessel has an inert gas inlet opening,

the inert gas intake connector is in fluid communication with the high-pressure inlet of the pressure-reducing valve, and

the low pressure-outlet of the pressure-reducing valve is in fluid communication with the inert gas opening.

6 . A powder container of claim 1 ,

wherein the powder container comprises a control valve with a control-valve actuator and wherein the control-valve actuator is a member of the subset K of k actuators of the set L of l actuators.

7 . A powder container of claim 1 , wherein:

the powder container has a locking shaft that is rotatably supported relative to the powder vessel,

the locking shaft has a proximal end and a distal end,

a locking member is torque transmittingly coupled to the distal end of the locking shaft and the locking shaft is driven by a locking-shaft actuator, and

the locking-shaft actuator is a member of the subset K of the set L of l actuators.

8 . An additive manufacturing device, comprising:

the powder container according to claim 1 ,

wherein a controller of the additive manufacturing device is connected via a multi-port connector of the powder container

(a) to a first actuator and/or to a second actuator of the powder container, wherein said first actuator and/or said second actuator is configured to drive a second mechanical function of the powder container, and/or

(b) to the at least one sensor of the set N of sensors.

9 . A powder container of claim 1 , comprising a support frame rotatably supporting the vessel support structure by at least one rotational bearing with a rotational axis.

10 . A powder container of claim 9 , wherein:

the vessel support structure comprises a powder removal funnel, and

the powder removal funnel is movably attached to the vessel support structure with a movable attachment, and

the movable attachment is configured to move the powder removal funnel relative to the vessel support structure at least from a first position and/or a first orientation into a second position and/or a second orientation and backwards.

11 . A powder container of claim 9 , wherein the powder container comprises a locking mechanism that is configured to releasably block a rotation of the vessel support structure relative to the support frame.

12 . A powder container of claim 9 , wherein the powder vessel has a powder vessel bottom, and wherein the powder vessel bottom is supported by a support structure bottom of the vessel support structure.

13 . A powder container of claim 12 , wherein the powder removal funnel has a powder removal funnel powder inlet, and wherein the powder removal funnel powder inlet is in fluid communication with the vessel volume via an opening of the powder vessel.

14 . A powder container of claim 13 , wherein the powder removal funnel covers the opening of the powder vessel.

15 . A powder container of claim 1 ,

wherein the powder container comprises a gas removal port in fluid communication via at least a gas removal control valve with the vessel volume, and

wherein:

(i) the gas removal control valve has a gas removal control valve actuator and that the gas removal control valve actuator is a member of the subset K of k actuators of the set L of l actuators, wherein k≤l, and/or

(ii) the powder container comprises at least a pressure sensor configured to determine a gas pressure upstream or downstream of the gas removal control valve, wherein said pressure sensor is a member of a subset M of the set N of n sensors.

16 . A powder container of claim 15 , wherein:

a gas removal port connection sensor is connected to a first end of a gas removal port connection sensor line and wherein a second end of the gas removal port connection sensor line is connected to an electrical terminal, the fluid terminal, and/or the waveguide port of said plug or socket connector, and/or

the powder vessel is located inside the vessel support structure and said plug or socket connector is attached to the vessel support structure and the electrical terminals, the fluid terminal, and/or the waveguide port of said plug or socket connector face outwardly, and/or

the powder container has a locking shaft that is rotatably supported relative to the powder vessel, the locking shaft has a proximal end and a distal end, and a locking member is torque transmittingly coupled to the distal end of the locking shaft and the locking shaft is driven by a locking-shaft actuator.

17 . A powder handling station for handling powder provided to or from or being stored in a powder container according to claim 1 , characterized in that the powder handling station has a mating multiple port connector dimensioned to be connected to said plug or socket connector of the powder container.

18 . A powder handling station of claim 17 , wherein the mating multiple port connector has fewer ports than said plug or socket connector of the powder container and/or wherein not all ports of the mating multiple port connector are connected to a corresponding connection line of the powder handling station.

19 . An additive manufacturing device, comprising:

the powder handling station according to claim 17 ,

wherein a controller of the additive manufacturing device is connected via said plug or socket connector of the powder container

(a) to a first actuator and/or to a second actuator of the powder container, and/or

(b) to the at least one sensor of the set N of sensors.