# US 11,993,014 B2 · Method of 3D printing using color mixing nozzle with multiple distribution elements

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- Number: US 11,993,014 B2
- Document ID: US11993014B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/985,791
- Filed: 2022-11-11
- Published: 2023-03-09
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-07
- Assignees: Signify Holding B.V.
- Applicants: Signify Holding B.V.
- Inventors: Rifat Ata Mustafa Hikmet; Paulus Albertus Van Hal; Bert Wouters
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993014B2

## CPC

- B29C 64/209: Heads; Nozzles
- B29C 64/118: using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
- B29C 64/336: of two or more materials
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- B29K 2101/12: Thermoplastic materials
- B33Y 40/10: Pre-treatment
- 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
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS

## Abstract

The invention provides a printer head (501) for a 3D printer, the printer head (501) comprising n distribution elements (510), wherein n≥2, a combination chamber (520), and a printer nozzle (502), wherein the combination chamber (520) is configured downstream of the distribution elements (510) and upstream of the printer nozzle (502), wherein each distribution element (510) comprise a flow-through chamber (511) with an inlet (512) and a plurality of k outlets (513) to the combination chamber (520), wherein k≥4, wherein the outlets (513) of the distribution elements (510) are configured such that a plurality of outlets (513) of a distribution element (510) have outlets (513) of another distribution element (510) as nearest neighbors.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for 3D printing a 3D item, the method comprising:
depositing m 3D printable materials to provide the 3D item comprising 3D printed material, wherein m≥2,
feeding the m 3D printable materials to at least m distribution elements of a printer head, and depositing the 3D printed material,
wherein the printer head includes n distribution elements, wherein n≥2, a combination chamber, and a printer nozzle, wherein the combination chamber is configured downstream of the distribution elements and upstream of the printer nozzle, wherein each distribution element comprises a flow-through chamber with an inlet for a 3D printable material and a plurality of k outlets to the combination chamber, wherein k≥4, each distribution element being arranged to distribute the 3D printable material by the plurality of k outlets, wherein the outlets of the distribution elements are configured such that a plurality of outlets of a distribution element have outlets of another distribution element as nearest neighbors; and
wherein m 3D printable materials comprise different thermoplastic materials or are 3D printable materials having different colors.

### Claim 2

A method for 3D printing a 3D item, the method comprising:
depositing m 3D printable materials to provide the 3D item comprising 3D printed material, wherein m≥2,
feeding the m 3D printable materials to at least m distribution elements of a printer head, and depositing the 3D printed material,
wherein the printer head includes n distribution elements, wherein n≥2, a combination chamber, and a printer nozzle, wherein the combination chamber is configured downstream of the distribution elements and upstream of the printer nozzle, wherein each distribution element comprises a flow-through chamber with an inlet for a 3D printable material and a plurality of k outlets to the combination chamber, wherein k≥4, each distribution element being arranged to distribute the 3D printable material by the plurality of k outlets, wherein the outlets of the distribution elements are configured such that a plurality of outlets of a distribution element have outlets of another distribution element as nearest neighbors; and
wherein the 3D printed material comprises plurality of domains originating from the m 3D printable materials, wherein the method comprises controlling the dimensions of the domains to have a largest width which is at maximum 120 μm.