# US 11,440,227 B2 · Plasticization device, three-dimensional shaping device, and injection molding device

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- Number: US 11,440,227 B2
- Document ID: US11440227B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/004,204
- Filed: 2020-08-27
- Published: 2021-03-04
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-08-29
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Kohei Yuwaki; Kazuhide Nakamura; Koichi Saito
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440227B2

## CPC

- B29C 64/106: using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
- B22F 1/102: Metallic powder coated with organic material
- B22F 3/225: {by injection molding}
- B22F 10/18: by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF]
- B22F 10/22: Direct deposition of molten metal
- B22F 12/53: Nozzles
- B28B 1/001: {Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material (selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00)}
- B28B 1/24: by injection moulding {(injection moulding of ceramic slips B28B1/265; of tubular articles B28B21/38)}
- B28B 17/026: {Conditioning ceramic materials}
- B29C 45/464: {using a rotating plasticising or injection disc}
- B29C 64/165: using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
- B29C 64/209: Heads; Nozzles
- B29C 64/314: Preparation
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 40/10: Pre-treatment
- B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- 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)
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B28B: SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER (foundry moulding B22C; working stone or stone-like material B28D; shaping of substances in a plastic state, in general B29C; making layered products not composed wholly of these substances B32B)
- 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
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

The plasticization device includes: a rotor rotating centered on a rotation axis by a drive motor and having a groove forming surface in which a first groove portion is formed along a rotation direction; a rotor case configured to accommodate the rotor; a barrel facing the groove forming surface and having a through hole; and a heating unit, in which a material supplied between the first groove portion and the barrel is plasticized by rotation of the rotor and heating by the heating unit to flow out from the through hole, and a side surface of the rotor has a material guiding port configured to guide the material to the first groove portion, and a second groove portion configured to feed the material supplied between the rotor and the rotor case to the material guiding port.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plasticization device comprising:
a cylindrical rotor rotating centered on a rotation axis by a drive motor, the cylindrical rotor having an upper surface connected to the drive motor, a bottom surface, and a side surface that connects the upper surface to the bottom surface, the bottom surface having a groove forming surface in which a first groove portion is formed along a rotation direction;
a rotor case configured to accommodate the rotor;
a barrel having a flat surface that faces the first groove portion of the bottom surface of the rotor, a through hole being formed in the barrel that communicates with the first groove portion; and
a heating unit, wherein
a material supplied between the first groove portion and the flat surface of the barrel is plasticized by rotation of the rotor and heating by the heating unit to flow out from the through hole, and
the side surface of the rotor has
a material guiding port configured to guide the material to the first groove portion, and
a second groove portion formed by a flight portion that spirally protrudes outward from the side surface, and the second groove portion is configured to feed the material supplied between the rotor and the rotor case to the material guiding port.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The plasticization device according to claim 1, wherein
the second groove portion includes a first portion continuous with the material guiding port and a second portion farther from the material guiding port than the first portion, and
a groove depth of the first portion is deeper than a groove depth of the second portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The plasticization device according to claim 1, wherein
the second groove portion includes a first portion continuous with the material guiding port and a second portion farther from the material guiding port than the first portion, and
a groove width of the first portion is larger than a groove width of the second portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The plasticization device according to claim 1, wherein
the second groove portion includes a first portion continuous with the material guiding port and a second portion farther from the material guiding port than the first portion,
the second groove portion is inclined with respect to a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis, and
an inclination angle of the first portion with respect to the plane is smaller than an inclination angle of the second portion with respect to the plane.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The plasticization device according to claim 1, wherein
the rotor includes a first rotor portion and a second rotor portion,
a distance from the barrel to the first rotor portion along the rotation axis is shorter than a distance from the barrel to the second rotor portion along the rotation axis, and
a diameter of the first rotor portion is smaller than a diameter of the second rotor portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The plasticization device according to claim 1, wherein
the second groove portion is spiral.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The plasticization device according to claim 1, wherein
a plurality of sets of the first groove portion, the material guiding port, and the second groove portion are provided.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A three-dimensional shaping device comprising:
the plasticization device according to claim 1; and
a nozzle communicating with the through hole and configured to discharge a plasticized material toward a table.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

An injection molding device comprising:
the plasticization device according to claim 1; and
a nozzle communicating with the through hole and configured to inject a plasticized material to a mold.