Three dimensional printer and cartridge
AssigneeFunFare, LLC
InventorsCharles ALBERT, David G. CAPPER, Andrew S. FILO, Jason G. HELLER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one aspect of the present invention, a cartridge for use in a three dimensional (3-D) printer is described. Another aspect of the invention relates to a 3-D printer that is arranged to engage the cartridge. Various embodiments relate to devices, methods, software and systems related to the above cartridge and/or printer.
Claims23
A cartridge for use in a three dimensional (3-D) printer, the cartridge comprising:
- a housing;
- a storage compartment in the housing that is arranged to store deposition material;
- a nozzle assembly that is positioned at least partially within the housing and is arranged to receive the deposition material from the storage compartment, the nozzle assembly further comprising:
- a heater receiving element that is arranged to engage a heating element from a three-dimensional (3-D) printer wherein the heater receiving element is arranged to help heat a portion of the deposition material;
- and
- a nozzle that is coupled with the heater receiving element and is fixedly attached with the housing.
A three dimensional (3-D) printer, the device comprising:
- a housing;
- a compartment within the housing;
- a platform positioned in the compartment that is arranged to receive deposition material;
- a cartridge interface situated at the housing that is arranged to engage a cartridge that includes the deposition material and a nozzle assembly;
- a heating element that is arranged to engage with the cartridge and help heat the deposition material in the cartridge wherein:
- the 3-D printer is arranged to dispense the deposition material from the nozzle assembly of the cartridge over the platform;
- and
- the 3-D printer is arranged to not move the nozzle assembly while the deposition material is being dispensed.
A three dimensional (3-D) printer, the device comprising:
- a housing;
- a compartment within the housing;
- a cartridge interface situated at the housing that is arranged to engage a cartridge that includes deposition material and a nozzle assembly;
- a platform positioned in the compartment that is arranged to receive the deposition material;
- and
- a contact on the platform that is arranged to help generate a signal indicating that the nozzle assembly has touched the contact wherein the 3-D printer is arranged to determine a position of the nozzle assembly over the platform based at least in part on the signal.
A cartridge for use in a three dimensional (3-D) printer, the cartridge comprising:
- a housing;
- a storage compartment in the housing that is arranged to store deposition material;
- a nozzle assembly that is positioned at least partially within the housing and is arranged to receive the deposition material from the storage compartment, the nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle that is fixedly attached with the housing;
- and
- a feed gear that is engaged with the deposition material and that is positioned within the housing wherein the feed gear is arranged such that, when the cartridge is engaged with the 3-D printer, a gear of the 3-D printer engages the feed gear of the cartridge to help move the deposition material through the nozzle assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.