3D PRINTING DEVICES INCLUDING MIXING NOZZLES
The present invention generally relates to the printing of materials, using 3-dimensional printing and other printing techniques, including the use of one or more mixing nozzles, and/or multi-axis control over the translation and/or rotation of the print head or the substrate onto which materials are printed. In some embodiments, a material may be prepared by extruding material through print head comprising a nozzle, such as a microfluidic printing nozzle, which may be used to mix materials within the nozzle and direct the resulting product onto a substrate. The print head and/or the substrate may be configured to be translated and/or rotated, for example, using a computer or other controller, in order to control the deposition of material onto the substrate.
1 . A microfluidic printing nozzle, comprising:
at least four material inlets in fluid communication with a mixing chamber; and
an impeller disposed in the mixing chamber;
wherein at least two of the material inlets are each in fluid communication with a discrete rotary positive displacement pump.
2 . The microfluidic printing nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the at least four material inlets are each in fluid communication with a discrete rotary positive displacement pump.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the impeller substantially conforms to its associated mixing chamber.
4 . The microfluidic printing nozzle of claim 1 , wherein a volume of a microfluidic channel between each rotary positive displacement pump and its respective material inlet to the mixing chamber is less than 10 mL.
5 - 17 . (canceled)
18 . The microfluidic printing nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the volume of the mixing chamber is from 30 nanoliters (nL) to 500 microliters.
19 - 55 . (canceled)
56 . A device for 3D-printing, comprising:
a microfluidic printing nozzle comprising a mixing chamber and an impeller disposed therein;
a heat source or a cooling source in thermal communication with the nozzle; and
a controller constructed and arranged to control rotation of the impeller.
57 . The device of claim 56 , comprising four or more inlets to the mixing chamber.
58 - 61 . (canceled)
62 . The device of claim 56 , wherein the impeller substantially conforms to its associated mixing chamber.
63 . The device of claim 56 , wherein the impeller is 3D-printed.
64 . The device of claim 56 , wherein the mixing chamber further comprises a pressure transducer in sensing communication with the controller.
65 - 167 . (canceled)
168 . A print head, comprising:
a compressed gas source;
a printing nozzle, comprising:
a mixing chamber;
an impeller disposed in the mixing chamber; and
two or more material inlets in fluid communication with the mixing chamber;
wherein an outlet of the mixing chamber is configured to intersect with an outlet fluidly connected to the compressed gas source.
169 . A print head, comprising:
a printing nozzle, comprising:
a mixing chamber;
an impeller disposed in the mixing chamber; and
two or more material inlets in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; and
an ultraviolet (UV) light source adjacent to the printing nozzle.
170 . The print head of claim 168 , wherein the compressed gas source is configured to atomize a material extruded from the mixing chamber.
171 . The print head of claim 168 , wherein the mixing chamber is in fluid communication with three or more material inlets.
172 . The print head of claim 168 , wherein the mixing chamber is in fluid communication with four or more material inlets.
173 . The print head of claim 168 , wherein a volume of the mixing chamber is less than 1 mL.
174 . The print head of claim 173 , wherein the volume of the mixing chamber is less than 250 microliters.
175 . The print head of claim 168 , wherein the print head further comprises an ultraviolet (UV) light source adjacent to the printing nozzle.
176 . The print head of claim 168 , wherein the UV light source comprises an emission wavelength between or equal to 200 nm and 405 nm.
177 . The print head of claim 168 , wherein the UV light source is configured to irradiate a material directly as the material exits the mixing chamber.
178 - 191 . (canceled)