Build material dispensing device
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsMike Rode, John Geile, Pierre J. Kaiser, Wesley R. Schalk, Arthur H. Barnes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A build material dispensing device may include a material spreader to spread an amount of build material along a build platform, and at least one hopper for dispensing the build material. The at least one hopper dispenses a plurality of doses of the build material in front of the progression of the material spreader as the material spreader is moved over the build platform.
Claims15
A build material dispensing device in an additive manufacturing system, comprising:
- a material spreader to spread an amount of build material along a build platform;
- and
- a plurality of hoppers for dispensing the build material,
- wherein the hoppers dispenses a plurality of doses of the build material in front of the progression of the material spreader as the material spreader is moved over the build platform.
An additive manufacturing system, comprising:
- a carriage;
- a build material dispensing device coupled to the carriage comprising:
- a material spreader to spread an amount of build material along a surface;
- a first hopper for dispensing the build material, the first hopper being located in front of the material spreader with respect to a least one direction of travel:
- and
- a second hopper for dispensing the build material, the second hopper being located behind the material spreader with respect to the at least one direction of travel, and
- wherein the first hopper and the second hopper are to dispense the build material bidirectionally in front of the progression of the material spreader.
The additive manufacturing system of claim 8, wherein the material spreader comprises a material spreading roller that counter-rotates such that it rotates in a direction opposite direction to its movement relative to the surface, wherein a distance between the material spreading roller and the surface is adjustable within a number of layers of dispensed build material, between the layers of dispensed build material, or combinations thereof.
The additive manufacturing system of claim 8, comprising an agent dispenser to dispense an agent on the build material as dispensed by the build material dispensing device.
The additive manufacturing system of claim 8, wherein the first hopper and the second hopper dispense the build material in front of and behind the material spreader in the at least one direction of travel.
The additive manufacturing system of claim 8,
- wherein the first hopper and the second hopper each include a lid, and
- wherein the additive manufacturing system comprises:
- at least one hopper refilling system, the at least one hopper refilling system comprising:
- a bulk build material housing;
- a preliminary rotary doser;
- a pre-stage area for storing a volume of the build material as dispensed by the preliminary rotary doser;
- a lid opener coupled to the at least one hopper refilling system around the pre-stage area;
- a transfer chute located below the pre-stage area;
- and
- a transfer chute lever mechanically coupled to the transfer chute to open the transfer chute when engaged,
- wherein the lid opener opens the lid of the first hopper and the second hopper using the lid opener when the first hopper and the second hopper are moved with the carriage to engage the transfer chute lever, and
- wherein engagement of the transfer chute lever opens the transfer chute to dispense the build material within the pre-stage area into the first hopper and the second hopper.
A method of supplying build material to an additive manufacturing system, comprising:
- with a first build material dispensing hopper, dispensing a volume of build material onto a build platform in front of a material spreading roller with respect to a least one direction of travel during a first pass;
- with a second build material dispensing hopper, dispensing a volume of the build material onto the build platform behind the material spreading roller with respect to the a least one direction of travel during the first pass;
- with the material spreading roller, spreading the build material dispensed by the first build material dispensing hopper and the second build material dispensing hopper bidirectionally.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.