Three-dimensional modeling apparatus and three-dimensional modeling method
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorsKoichi Saito, Shunsuke Mizukami, Kazuhide Nakamura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A three-dimensional modeling apparatus includes a drive motor, a plasticizing section having a flat screw configured to be rotated by the drive motor, the plasticizing section being configured to plasticize and convert the material into a molten material by the rotation of the flat screw, and a nozzle configured to inject the molten material.
Claims12
A three-dimensional modeling apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object using solid material including a thermoplastic material, the three-dimensional modeling apparatus comprising:
- a drive motor;
- a plasticizing section having a flat screw and a screw-facing section, the flat screw having a scroll-groove formed surface on which a scroll groove is formed and configured to be rotated by the drive motor, and the screw-facing section having a communication hole, a heater, and a screw facing surface facing the scroll-groove formed surface;
- and
- a nozzle in communication with the communication hole and configured to inject a molten material,
- wherein the plasticizing section is configured to plasticize the solid material supplied between the flat screw and the screw-facing section by rotation of the flat screw along with heating the solid material with the heater to convert the solid material into the molten material, and
- wherein the scroll groove includes a first scroll groove and a second scroll groove, a depth of the first scroll groove is greater than a depth of the second scroll groove, and the second scroll groove is located closer to a center of the flat screw than the first scroll groove.
A method for producing a three-dimensional object using a solid material including a thermoplastic material, the three-dimensional modeling method comprising:
- introducing the solid material into a three-dimensional modeling apparatus including a plasticizing section that includes a rotatable flat screw and a screw-facing section, the rotatable flat screw having a scroll-groove formed surface on which a scroll groove is formed, and the screw-facing section having a communication hole, a heater, and a screw facing surface facing the scroll-groove formed surface;
- plasticizing and converting the solid material located between the flat screw and the screw-facing section into a molten material by rotating the rotatable flat screw and heating the solid material with the heater;
- and
- injecting the molten material from a nozzle that communicates with the communication hole to produce the three-dimensional object,
- wherein the scroll groove includes a first scroll groove and a second scroll groove, a depth of the first scroll groove is greater than a depth of the second scroll groove, and the second scroll groove is located closer to a center of the flat screw than the first scroll groove.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.