# US 2022/0274337 A1 · Method for manufacturing three-dimensional shaped object and three-dimensional shaping apparatus

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2022/0274337 A1
- Document ID: US20220274337A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/652,168
- Filed: 2022-02-23
- Published: 2022-09-01
- Earliest claimed: 2021-02-26
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Eiji OKAMOTO; Akihiko TSUNOYA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220274337A1

## CPC

- B29C 64/314: Preparation
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B29C 64/118: using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
- B29C 64/209: Heads; Nozzles
- B29C 64/295: Heating elements
- B29C 64/321: Feeding
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 40/10: Pre-treatment
- B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
- B33Y 70/10: Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials
- B29C 64/106: using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
- B29C 2793/0027: Cutting off
- B29K 2101/12: Thermoplastic materials
- 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
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS

## Abstract

A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object includes: a plasticizing step of plasticizing at least a part of a shaping material containing a thermoplastic resin to generate a plasticized material; a fiber introducing step including at least one of a step of introducing a covered fiber material, which is a fiber material covered with a covering material, into the plasticized material after being discharged from the nozzle opening, and a step of introducing the covered fiber material into the shaping material or the plasticized material before being discharged from the nozzle opening; and a shaping step of shaping a three-dimensional shaped object including the covered fiber material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object, comprising:
a plasticizing step of plasticizing at least a part of a shaping material containing a thermoplastic resin to generate a plasticized material;
a fiber introducing step including at least one of a step of introducing a covered fiber material, which is a fiber material covered with a covering material, into the plasticized material after being discharged from the nozzle opening, and a step of introducing the covered fiber material into the shaping material or the plasticized material before being discharged from the nozzle opening; and
a shaping step of shaping a three-dimensional shaped object including the covered fiber material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to claim 1, wherein
an absolute value of a difference between an SP value of the thermoplastic resin and an SP value of the covering material is 5.0 or less.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to claim 1, wherein
the covering material includes a thermoplastic resin of the same type as the thermoplastic resin contained in the plasticized material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to claim 1, further comprising:
a covering step of, before the fiber introducing step, generating the covered fiber material by passing the fiber material through a storage portion in which the covering material is stored.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to claim 1, wherein
the plasticizing step includes, in a plasticizing apparatus that includes a flat screw that has a groove forming surface in which a groove portion is formed, a facing portion that has a facing surface facing the groove forming surface and that is formed with a communication hole communicating with the nozzle opening, and a heater that is configured to heat the flat screw or the facing portion, a step of guiding at least a part of the thermoplastic resin supplied between the flat screw the facing portion to the communication hole while plasticizing the thermoplastic resin by rotation of the flat screw and heating of the heater.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to claim 5, wherein
the groove forming surface or the facing surface has an introduction groove that is configured to guide the fiber material from a side of the flat screw or the facing portion to the communication hole, and
in the fiber introducing step, the covered fiber material is introduced into the shaping material through the introduction groove.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to claim 5, wherein
the flat screw has a through hole that is opened in the groove forming surface and that communicates with the communication hole, and
the fiber introducing step includes a step of introducing the covered fiber material into the plasticized material through the through hole.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to claim 7, wherein
the fiber introducing step includes a pressure control step of controlling a pressure in the through hole to be higher than a pressure in the communication hole.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to claim 1, wherein
the shaping step includes:
a moving step of relatively moving a stage at which the three-dimensional shaped object is supported and a nozzle unit having the nozzle opening; and
a fiber introduction control step of changing an introduction speed at which the covered fiber material is introduced into the shaping material or the plasticized material in accordance with a relative movement speed between the nozzle unit and the stage in the moving step.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to claim 1, further comprising:
a cutting step of cutting the fiber material before or after the fiber introducing step.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to claim 10, wherein
the cutting step includes a step of cutting the covered fiber material by operating a discharge amount control mechanism that is provided upstream of the nozzle opening and that is configured to control a discharge amount of the plasticized material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object according to claim 11, wherein
the discharge amount control mechanism is driven by a motor, and
the fiber introducing step includes a step of transmitting a driving force generated by the motor to a conveying unit of the covered fiber material to convey the covered fiber material.

### Claim 13

A three-dimensional shaping apparatus, comprising:
a plasticizing unit configured to plasticize at least a part of a shaping material containing a thermoplastic resin to generate a plasticized material;
a discharging unit having a nozzle opening;
a fiber introducing unit having at least one of a function of introducing a covered fiber material, which is a fiber material covered with a covering material, into the plasticized material after being discharged from the nozzle opening, and a function of introducing the covered fiber material into the shaping material or the plasticized material before being discharged from the nozzle opening; and
a control unit configured to control the plasticizing unit, the discharging unit, and the fiber introducing unit to shape a three-dimensional shaped object including the covered fiber material.