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US 10,967,569 B2Granted
Additive manufacturing system having interchangeable nozzle tips
AssigneeContinuous Composites Inc.
InventorsKenneth L. Tyler, Ryan C Stockett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A head is disclosed for use with an additive manufacturing system. The head may include a matrix reservoir, a first nozzle tip, and a second nozzle tip. The head may also include a tip changer mechanically connected between the first nozzle tip, the second nozzle tip, and the matrix reservoir.
Claims20
An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
- a moveable support;
- a matrix reservoir operatively connected to an end of the moveable support;
- a multi-channel nozzle module having a first tip with a rectangular orifice, and a first arrangement of cure enhancers located around the first tip;
- a single-channel nozzle module having a second tip with a circular orifice, and a second arrangement of cure enhancers located around the second tip;
- a tip changer mechanically connected to the multi-channel and single-channel nozzle modules;
- and
- a controller in communication with the tip changer, the moveable support, and the first and second arrangements of cure enhancers, the controller being configured to:
- receive specifications for a structure to be manufactured by the additive manufacturing system;
- and
- selectively coordinate operation of the tip changer, the moveable support and the first and second arrangements of cure enhancers based on the specifications.
7 more elements
A method of additively manufacturing a composite structure, the method comprising:
- directing a single-tow reinforcement through a matrix reservoir to wet the single reinforcement;
- discharging the single-tow reinforcement through a single-channel nozzle tip;
- directing a multi-tow reinforcement through the matrix reservoir to wet the multi-tow reinforcement;
- activating a tip changer to cause a multi-channel nozzle tip to replace the single-channel nozzle tip;
- and
- discharging the multi-tow reinforcement through the multi-channel nozzle tip.
3 more elements
An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
- a moveable support;
- a matrix reservoir operatively connected to an end of the moveable support and configured to receive a liquid matrix;
- a first nozzle tip having a discharge direction;
- a second nozzle tip having the discharge direction;
- and
- a tip changer mechanically connected between the first nozzle tip, the second nozzle tip, and the matrix reservoir, the tip changer configured to pivot the first and second nozzle tips about a pivot axis that is parallel with the discharge direction.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.