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US 7,938,356 B2Granted
Filament spool
AssigneeStratasys, Inc.
InventorsThomas L. Taatjes, Patrick W. Turley, Martin G. Zalusky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A filament spool for use in a filament spool container, where the filament spool comprises a first rim and a second rim offset by an axial shaft, and a series of grooves extending along a first portion of the first rim and configured to receive a filament of a material while the filament is wound around the axial shaft in a first rotational direction.
Claims20
A filament spool comprising:
- an axial shaft;
- a first rim extending perpendicular to the axial shaft, the first rim comprising an inner side adjacent to the axial shaft, an outer side opposite of inner side, and a lateral edge offsetting the inner side and the outer side;
- a second rim extending from the axial shaft;
- a lateral groove in the lateral edge of the first rim, the lateral groove extending from the inner side of the first rim to the outer side of the first rim;
- and
- a series of grooves extending along a first portion of the outer side of the first rim to define a pathway that is at least partially arcuate, wherein the lateral groove and the series of grooves are configured to receive a first segment of a filament while a second segment of the filament is wound around the axial shaft in a first rotational direction.
3 more elements
A filament spool for use with a filament spool container, the filament spool comprising:
- an axial shaft;
- a first rim extending perpendicular to the axial shaft, the first rim comprising an inner side adjacent to the axial shaft, and outer side opposite of inner side, a lateral edge offsetting the inner side and the outer side, and a first rotational hub the outer side that is configured to be rotatably received by a first hub mount of the filament spool container;
- a second rim extending from the axial shaft, the second rim having a second rotational hub configured to be rotatably received by a second hub mount of the filament spool container;
- a lateral groove in the lateral edge of the first rim, the lateral groove extending from the inner side of the first rim to the outer side of the first rim;
- a first guide mechanism slot in the outer surface of the first rim, the first guide mechanism slot being configured to receive a first filament guide mechanism;
- and
- a first groove pathway extending along a first portion of the outer surface of the first rim, wherein the first groove pathway intersects the first guide mechanism slot, wherein at least a portion of the first groove pathway is arcuate, and wherein the lateral groove and the first groove pathway are configured to receive a first segment of a filament while a second segment of the filament is wound around the axial shaft in a first rotational direction.
4 more elements
A filament spool assembly comprising:
- an axial shaft;
- a first rim extending perpendicular to the axial shaft, the first rim having an inner side adjacent to the axial shaft, an outer side opposite of inner side, and a lateral edge offsetting the inner side and the outer side;
- a second rim extending from the axial shaft;
- a lateral groove in the lateral edge of the first rim, the lateral groove extending from the inner side of the first rim to the outer side of the first rim;
- a series of grooves extending along a first portion of the outer side of the first rim to define a pathway that is at least partially arcuate, wherein the lateral groove and the series of grooves are configured to receive a first segment of a filament while a second segment of the filament is wound around the axial shaft in a first rotational direction;
- and
- a filament guide mechanism configured to be removably mounted to the outer side of the first rim.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.