# US 2019/0315058 A1 · System and print head for additive manufacturing system

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- Number: US 2019/0315058 A1
- Document ID: US20190315058A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/368,854
- Filed: 2019-03-29
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-11
- Assignees: Cc3D LLC
- Applicants: Cc3D LLC
- Inventors: TREVOR DAVID BUDGE; Ryan C. Stockett; Tyler B. Alvarado; Kenneth Lyle Tyler; Colin Hugh Hambling; Brian Dunham; Nathan Andrew Stranberg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190315058A1

## CPC

- B29C 64/209: Heads; Nozzles
- B29C 64/118: using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
- B29C 64/165: using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
- B29C 64/291: for operating globally, e.g. together with selectively applied activators or inhibitors
- B29C 70/38: Automated lay-up, e.g. using robots, laying filaments according to predetermined patterns {(application heads for tyres B29D30/28)}
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
- B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
- C22C 47/025: {Aligning or orienting the fibres}
- C22C 47/04: by coating, e.g. with a protective or activated covering
- C22C 47/14: by powder metallurgy, i.e. by processing mixtures of metal powder and fibres or filaments
- B29B 11/16: comprising fillers or reinforcement {(non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00, D04H3/00)}
- B29C 35/0805: {using electromagnetic radiation}
- B29C 70/388: {Tape placement heads, e.g. component parts, details or accessories}
- B29C 70/543: {Fixing the position or configuration of fibrous reinforcements before or during moulding (for non-woven fabrics D04H3/08)}
- B29C 2793/0027: Cutting off
- B32B 38/0004: {Cutting, tearing or severing, e.g. bursting; Cutter details (cutting in general B26D; laminating combined with punching or perforating B32B38/04; removing all or part of the layers B32B38/10; cutting in combination with laying up and registration B32B38/185 takes precedence)}
- B32B 38/1808: {characterised by the laying up of the layers}
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- 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
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)
- B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A print head is disclosed for use in an additive manufacturing system. The print head may include a receiving end configured to receive a matrix and a continuous reinforcement, and a discharging end configured to discharge the continuous reinforcement at least partially coated in the matrix. The print head may also include a feeder located between the receiving end and the discharging end. The feeder may be configured to push the continuous reinforcement out of the print head at only select times during discharge of the continuous reinforcement and the matrix.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A print head for an additive manufacturing system, comprising:
a receiving end configured to receive a matrix and a continuous reinforcement;
a discharging end configured to discharge the continuous reinforcement at least partially coated in the matrix; and
a feeder located between the receiving end and the discharging end, the feeder being configured to push the continuous reinforcement out of the print head at only select times during discharge of the continuous reinforcement and the matrix.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The print head of claim 1, wherein the feeder is configured to push the continuous reinforcement and the matrix out of the print head only during a startup sequence.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The print head of claim 1, wherein the feeder includes at least one eccentric cam roller.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The print head of claim 3, wherein the eccentric cam roller includes:
a first portion having a first radius and being configured to engage the continuous reinforcement; and
a second portion having a second radius less than the first radius.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The print head of claim 3, wherein an arc length of the first portion is equal to a length of the continuous reinforcement pushed out of the print head at the select times.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The print head of claim 5, further including:
a compacting module located downstream of the eccentric cam roller; and
a cutting module located between the eccentric cam roller and the compacting module.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The print head of claim 6, wherein the arc length is equal to a distance between the cutting module and the compacting module.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The print head of claim 1, wherein:
the eccentric cam roller is a first eccentric cam roller; and
the print head further includes a second eccentric cam roller oriented in opposition to the first eccentric cam roller.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The print head of claim 8, further including an actuator configured to drive rotation of at least the first eccentric cam roller.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The print head of claim 9, further including a gear train operatively connecting the first eccentric cam roller to the second eccentric cam roller.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The print head of claim 8, wherein the first eccentric cam roller is biased toward the second eccentric cam roller.

### Claim 12

A system for additively manufacturing a composite structure, comprising:
at least one of a gantry and a robotic arm that moves in a plurality of directions during manufacturing of the composite structure; and
a head coupled to the at least one of the gantry and the robotic arm and including:
a receiving end configured to receive a matrix and a continuous reinforcement;
a discharging end configured to discharge the continuous reinforcement at least partially coated in the matrix;
eccentric cam rollers located between the receiving end and the discharging end, the eccentric cam rollers being configured to push the continuous reinforcement out of the print head only during a startup sequence.

### Claim 13 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein each of the eccentric cam rollers includes:
a first portion having a first radius and being configured to engage the continuous reinforcement; and
a second portion having a second radius less than the first radius,
wherein an arc length of the first portion is equal to a length of the continuous reinforcement pushed out of the print head at the select times.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, further including:
a compacting module located downstream of the eccentric cam rollers; and
a cutting module located between the eccentric cam rollers and the compacting module,
wherein the arc length is equal to a distance between the cutting module and the compacting module.

### Claim 15

A method of additively manufacturing a composite structure, comprising:
receiving a matrix and a continuous reinforcement at a first end of a print head;
discharging the continuous reinforcement at least partially coated in the matrix from a second end of the print head; and
pushing the continuous reinforcement out of the print head at only select times during discharge of the continuous reinforcement and the matrix.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein pushing the continuous reinforcement out of the print head at only select times includes pushing the continuous reinforcement and the matrix out of the print head only during a startup sequence.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further including moving the print head to cause the continuous reinforcement to be pulled out of the print head during discharging at times other than during the startup sequence.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein pushing the continuous reinforcement out of the print head includes pushing out a length of the continuous reinforcement that is equal to a distance between a cutting module and a compacting module of the print head.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further including exposing the matrix to a cure energy at a location outside of the print head and downstream of the compacting module.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further including at least partially coating the continuous reinforcement with the matrix inside of the print head.