IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,994,482
Granted Patent B2
US 10,994,482 · App. 16/722,539 · Granted May 4, 2021

Three-dimensional shaping apparatus

Inventors: Kohei Yuwaki (Tsukuba, JP); Koichi Saito (Matsumoto, JP); Kazuhide Nakamura (Asahi-mura, JP)
Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
B29C64/209B29C64/227B29C64/245B29C64/295B33Y30/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,994,482
App. No.
16/722,539
Granted
May 4, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A three-dimensional shaping apparatus includes a discharge mechanism, a tilting mechanism, and a control portion. the discharge mechanism includes a supply flow path, a first branch flow path, a second branch flow path, a coupling portion coupling the supply flow path with the first branch flow path and the second branch flow path, a first nozzle communicating with the first branch flow path, a second nozzle communicating with the second branch flow path, and a valve mechanism, a central axis of the first nozzle and a central axis of the second nozzle are separated from each other as going toward the table, and the control portion controls the valve mechanism to switch between a first state in which the supply flow path and the first branch flow path communicate with each other and the supply flow path and the second branch flow path are blocked from each other and a second state in which the supply flow path and the second branch flow path communicate with each other and the supply flow path and the first branch flow path are blocked from each other and controls the tilting mechanism so that in the first state, the first nozzle is brought closer to the table than the second nozzle and in the second state, the second nozzle is brought closer to the table than the first nozzle.

Claims (38)

1. A three-dimensional shaping apparatus comprising:

a discharge mechanism discharging a shaping material;

a table on which the shaping material discharged from the discharge mechanism is stacked;

a tilting mechanism tilting the discharge mechanism with respect to the table; and

a control portion controlling the discharge mechanism and the tilting mechanism, wherein

the discharge mechanism includes

a melting portion melting a material to be used as the shaping material,

a supply flow path through which the melted material which is supplied as the shaping material from the melting portion flows,

a first branch flow path and a second branch flow path to which the melted material is supplied as the shaping material from the supply flow path,

a coupling portion coupling the supply flow path with the first branch flow path and the second branch flow path,

a first nozzle communicating with the first branch flow path and a second nozzle communicating with the second branch flow path, and

a valve mechanism provided in the coupling portion,

the first nozzle and the second nozzle are disposed in a direction in which a central axis of the first nozzle and a central axis of the second nozzle are separated from each other as going toward the table,

the control portion controls the valve mechanism of the discharge mechanism to switch between a first state in which the supply flow path and the first branch flow path communicate with each other and the supply flow path and the second branch flow path are blocked from each other and a second state in which the supply flow path and the second branch flow path communicate with each other and the supply flow path and the first branch flow path are blocked from each other, and

the control portion controls the tilting mechanism so that in the first state, the first nozzle is brought closer to the table than the second nozzle and in the second state, the second nozzle is brought closer to the table than the first nozzle.

2. The three-dimensional shaping apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a nozzle diameter of the second nozzle is larger than a nozzle diameter of the first nozzle.

3. The three-dimensional shaping apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the control portion performs shaping in the first state when shaping an exterior appearance of a three-dimensional shaping object and performs shaping in the second state when shaping an interior appearance of the three-dimensional shaping object.

4. The three-dimensional shaping apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first suction portion coupled to the first branch flow path and configured to suck the shaping material in the first branch flow path; and

a second suction portion coupled to the second branch flow path and configured to suck the shaping material in the second branch flow path.

5. The three-dimensional shaping apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the melting portion includes

a flat screw having a grooved surface provided with a groove, and

a barrel having a facing surface facing the grooved surface of the flat screw and provided with a communication hole communicating with the supply flow path, and a heating portion, and

the melting portion melts the material to generate the shaping material by rotation of the flat screw and heating by the heating portion and supplies the shaping material from the communication hole to the supply flow path.

6. A three-dimensional shaping apparatus, comprising:

a first discharge mechanism and a second discharge mechanism which discharge a shaping material;

a table on which the shaping material discharged from the first discharge mechanism and the second discharge mechanism is stacked;

a tilting mechanism tilting each of the first discharge mechanism and the second discharge mechanism with respect to the table; and

a control portion controlling the first discharge mechanism, the second discharge mechanism, and the tilting mechanism, wherein

the first discharge mechanism and the second discharge mechanism each include

a melting portion melting a material to be used as the shaping material,

a supply flow path through which the melted material which is supplied as the shaping material from the melting portion flows,

a nozzle communicating with the supply flow path, and

a flow rate adjustment mechanism provided in the supply flow path and adjusting a flow rate of the shaping material supplied to the nozzle,

the control portion controls the flow rate adjustment mechanism to discharge the shaping material from any one of the first discharge mechanism and the second discharge mechanism, and

the control portion controls the tilting mechanism so that the nozzle of the first discharge mechanism is brought closer to the table than the nozzle of the second discharge mechanism when the shaping material is discharged from the first discharge mechanism and the shaping material is not discharged from the second discharge mechanism, and the nozzle of the second discharge mechanism is brought closer to the table than the nozzle of the first discharge mechanism when the shaping material is discharged from the second discharge mechanism and the shaping material is not discharged from the first discharge mechanism.

7. The three-dimensional shaping apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein a height of the flat screw is smaller than a diameter of the flat screw.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2019
From: YUWAKI, KOHEI; SAITO, KOICHI; NAKAMURA, KAZUHIDE
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051344/0137 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-244829 · Dec 27, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200207017A1 · Jul 2, 2020