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

An injection molding apparatus comprising:

• a plasticizing device that plasticizes a material into a melted material;
• and
• a nozzle that ejects, to a mold, the melted material fed from the plasticizing device, wherein
• the plasticizing device includes:
• a plasticizing mechanism including a screw, a feeding port for receiving the material, and a first driving motor that rotates the screw, the plasticizing mechanism being configured to plasticize the material to generate the melted material;
• and
• a material feeding mechanism configured to feed the material to the plasticizing mechanism,
• the material feeding mechanism includes:
• a housing including a depositing port communicating with the feeding port, the housing storing the material;
• a rotator housed in the housing and configured to rotate along an inner edge of the housing;
• and
• a second driving motor that rotates the rotator,
• a plurality of through-holes are provided in the rotator at intervals along an outer circumference of the rotator,
• when the rotator rotates around a rotating shaft and any one of the plurality of through-holes and the depositing port communicate, the material stored in the housing is fed from the feeding port to the plasticizing mechanism through the depositing port,
• the material feeding mechanism includes a cover provided above the rotator and covering a part of the rotator, the rotating shaft being received by a portion of the cover,
• the cover is positioned along an outer circumference of the rotating shaft and overlaps the depositing port,
• a communication hole for enabling the plurality of through-holes and the depositing port to communicate is provided in the housing,
• when viewed from a rotation axis direction of the rotator, an end portion of the communication hole on an opposite side of the depositing port is provided in a position overlapping the cover,
• the material feeding mechanism includes an elastic member configured to elongate and contract to adjust a clearance between the rotator and the cover during feeding of the material to the feeding port, the elastic member having a first end connected to an upper surface of the cover and second end connected to the housing, the elastic member urging the cover to the rotator,
• wherein the plasticizing device includes:
• a processor;
• a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the first driving motor and the second driving motor, and
• when a torque value of the first driving motor is smaller than a predetermined value, the processor controls the second driving motor such that a rotating speed of the rotator is higher compared with when the torque value of the first driving motor is larger than the predetermined value.

A three-dimensional shaping apparatus that shapes a three-dimensional shaped object, the three-dimensional shaping apparatus comprising:

• a plasticizing device that plasticizes a material into a melted material;
• and
• a nozzle that discharges, toward a stage, the melted material fed from the plasticizing device, wherein
• the plasticizing device includes:
• a plasticizing mechanism including a screw, a feeding port for receiving the material, and a first driving motor that rotates the screw, the plasticizing mechanism being configured to plasticize the material to generate the melted material;
• and
• a material feeding mechanism configured to feed the material to the plasticizing mechanism,
• the material feeding mechanism includes:
• a housing including a depositing port communicating with the feeding port, the housing storing the material;
• a rotator housed in the housing and configured to rotate along an inner edge of the housing;
• and
• a second driving motor that rotates the rotator,
• a plurality of through-holes are provided in the rotator at intervals along an outer circumference of the rotator,
• when the rotator rotates around a rotating shaft and any one of the plurality of through-holes and the depositing port communicate, the material stored in the housing is fed from the feeding port to the plasticizing mechanism through the depositing port,
• the material feeding mechanism includes a cover provided above the rotator and covering a part of the rotator, the rotating shaft being received by a portion of the cover,
• the cover is positioned along an outer circumference of the rotating shaft and overlaps the depositing port,
• a communication hole for enabling the plurality of through-holes and the depositing port to communicate is provided in the housing,
• when viewed from a rotation axis direction of the rotator, an end portion of the communication hole on an opposite side of the depositing port is provided in a position overlapping the cover,
• the material feeding mechanism includes an elastic member configured to elongate and contract to adjust a clearance between the rotator and the cover during feeding of the material to the feeding port, the elastic member having a first end connected to an upper surface of the cover and second end connected to the housing, the elastic member urging the cover to the rotator,
• wherein the plasticizing device includes:
• a processor;
• a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the first driving motor and the second driving motor, and
• when a torque value of the first driving motor is smaller than a predetermined value, the processor controls the second driving motor such that a rotating speed of the rotator is higher compared with when the torque value of the first driving motor is larger than the predetermined value.