Back to results
US 11,628,614 B2Granted
Apparatus for near net shape additive manufacturing
AssigneeThermwood Corporation
InventorsKenneth J. Susnjara, Brian S. Smiddy, John Fuquay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a first vertically-extending support leg, a second vertically-extending support leg, and a gantry supported on the first and second support legs. The additive manufacturing apparatus also includes a work table movably supported beneath the gantry, a print head supported on the gantry, and a trim head supported on the gantry with the print head.
Claims20
An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:
- a horizontally-extending work surface on a horizontal table;
- a vertically-extending work surface included on a vertical table;
- an applicator head including a nozzle configured to deposit material on the vertically-extending work surface above the horizontally-extending work surface, the horizontal table and the vertical table being configured to move together away from the applicator head;
- and
- a support connected to the applicator head to support the applicator head such that the applicator head extends above the horizontally-extending work surface,
- wherein the support is fixed along a forward direction and a backward direction, and the applicator head is movable along the forward direction and the backward direction, and the nozzle is fixed to the applicator head in a horizontally-extending orientation, the nozzle configured to be fixed in a horizontal orientation when depositing the material on the vertically-extending work surface.
3 more elements
An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:
- a work table having a vertical surface, the vertical surface being connected to a horizontal surface configured to move together with the vertical surface;
- an extruder;
- a nozzle connected to the extruder and configured to deposit material on the vertical surface;
- an applicator head connected to the nozzle;
- a gantry supporting the extruder and the nozzle, the gantry being fixed in place, the work table being movable;
- and
- a horizontally-extending rail connected to the gantry at a location that is fixed with the gantry along a first horizontal direction that is orthogonal to the rail and fixed along a second horizontal direction that is aligned with the rail, the nozzle and the extruder being translatable parallel to and along the rail while the nozzle is fixed along the first horizontal direction and while the nozzle remains in a horizontal orientation, the applicator head being movable forward and backward along the second horizontal direction.
4 more elements
An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:
- a horizontally-extending nozzle;
- a deposition surface, the deposition surface extending vertically and being horizontally movable with a horizontal table away from the nozzle along a first horizontal axis, the deposition surface being formed on a pellet board or a bead board;
- a fixed support configured to suspend the nozzle at a location at which the nozzle is configured to deposit material on the deposition surface, the nozzle being movable forward and backward along a second horizontal axis;
- and
- an applicator head with a compression device supported indirectly by the fixed support.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.