# US 11,077,615 B2 · Three-dimensional modeling apparatus and ejection unit

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- Number: US 11,077,615 B2
- Document ID: US11077615B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/581,803
- Filed: 2019-09-25
- Published: 2020-03-26
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-26
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Keigo Yamasaki; Kohei Yuwaki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077615B2

## CPC

- B29C 64/209: Heads; Nozzles
- B29C 64/227: Driving means
- B29C 64/241: for rotary motion
- B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40)
- B29C 64/255: Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers
- B29C 64/295: Heating elements
- B29C 64/314: Preparation
- B33Y 40/10: Pre-treatment
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING

## Abstract

Provided is a three-dimensional modeling apparatus including: a drive motor; a screw that has a groove formation surface with a groove formed therein and that is rotated by the drive motor; a barrel that has a facing surface facing the groove formation surface and having a communication hole at the center thereof and a heater; and a nozzle that ejects a modeling material supplied from the communication hole, in which 0.03≤(Ss/Ls)/(Sn/Ln)≤5.00 (1) where Ss is an average sectional area that is an arithmetic mean between a maximum sectional area and a minimum sectional area of the groove, Ls is a length of the groove, Sn is a sectional area of the nozzle, and Ln is a length of the nozzle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A three-dimensional modeling apparatus comprising:
a drive motor;
a screw that has a groove formation surface in which a spiral groove and a spiral wall are formed, the screw being rotated by the drive motor, the spiral groove being formed between adjacent outer sides of the spiral wall;
a barrel that has a facing surface facing the groove formation surface, the barrel having a communication hole that is formed at a center of the facing surface, the barrel having a heater;
wherein the spiral groove includes a central portion, a vortex-shaped portion, and a material introducing portion, the central portion faces the communication hole;
a nozzle that is configured to eject a modeling material supplied via the communication hole;
a modeling table facing the nozzle and receiving the modeling material from the nozzle, a tip of the nozzle and the modeling table being spaced apart from each other; and
a moving mechanism disposed below the modeling table, the moving mechanism being configured to move the table toward the nozzle or away from the nozzle, wherein a width of the spiral groove of the screw is smaller than a width of the ridge of the screw, and
Ss is an average sectional area that is an arithmetic mean between a maximum sectional area and a minimum sectional area of the spiral groove, Ls is a length of the spiral groove, Sn is a sectional area of the nozzle, Ln is a length of the nozzle, and 0.03<(Ss/Ls)/(Sn/Ln)<5.00.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
0.03≤(Ss/Ls)/(Sn/Ln)≤2.00.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
0.10≤(Ss/Ls)/(Sn/Ln)≤1.00.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
a diameter of the nozzle is equal to or less than 200 μm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
a sectional area of the spiral groove decreases toward the communication hole.

### Claim 6

A three-dimensional modeling apparatus comprising:
a drive motor;
a screw that has a groove formation surface in which n spiral grooves and n spiral walls are formed, the screw being rotated by the drive motor, the n spiral grooves being formed between adjacent outer sides of the n spiral walls, the n being a natural number of two or more;
a barrel that has a facing surface facing the groove formation surface, the barrel having a communication hole that is formed at a center of the facing surface, the barrel having a heater; wherein the groove includes a central portion, a vortex-shaped portion, and a material introducing portion, the central portion faces the communication hole;
a nozzle that is configured to eject a modeling material supplied via the communication hole;
a modeling table facing the nozzle and receiving the modeling material from the nozzle, a tip of the nozzle and the modeling table being spaced apart from each other; and
a moving mechanism disposed below the modeling table, the moving mechanism being configured to move the table toward the nozzle or away from the nozzle,
wherein ends of the n spiral grooves are connected to each other at a center area of the groove formation surface,
a width of each of the n spiral grooves of the screw is smaller than a width of the ridge of the screw, and
Ss is an average sectional area that is an arithmetic mean between a maximum sectional area and a minimum sectional area of each of the n spiral grooves, Ls is a length of each of the n spiral grooves, Sn is a sectional area of the nozzle, Ln is a length of the nozzle, and 0.03≤n½×(Ss/Ls)/(Sn/Ln)<5.00.