Plasticizing device, three-dimensional shaping apparatus, and injection molding apparatus

A plasticizing device comprising:

• a material storage unit having a container configured to store a pellet-shaped plasticizing material and a material supply mechanism configured to supply the plasticizing material to an outside, the material supply mechanism including a guide case having a material inlet on a container side and a charging port on an opposite side from the container and inside of the guide case being hollow;
• a plasticizing unit having a supply port in communication with the charging port and configured to plasticize at least a part of the plasticizing material to generate a shaping material;
• a coupling pipe having a coupling path through which the pellet-shaped plasticizing material falls from the charging port to the supply port;
• a first material sensor configured to detect a remaining quantity of the plasticizing material in the coupling path;
• and
• a control unit, wherein
• the material supply mechanism includes a slide member being provided inside the guide case and having a hole, and a slide drive unit configured to slide the slide member inside the guide case, and
• when the remaining quantity detected by the first material sensor is less than a first reference value, the control unit controls the material supply mechanism to supply a predetermined quantity of the plasticizing material to the coupling path, wherein
• when viewed from a first direction perpendicular to a second direction in which the slide member slides, the material inlet does not overlap the charging port, and
• the slide drive unit drives the slide member to switch between a first state, in which the plasticizing material in the material storage unit is not charged into the coupling pipe, and a second state in which the plasticizing material in the material storage unit is charged into the coupling pipe, and
• the hole provided in the slide member has a first side surface and a second side surface that is closer to the charging port than the first side surface in the second direction, and the first side surface is inclined so that a size of the hole becomes smaller in the first direction.