JP2007253069A - Automatic material feeding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the segregation or the solidification of a low melting point material in the inside of a three dimensional modeling apparatus and to reduce the production cost. <P>SOLUTION: The automatic material feeding apparatus has a vessel for housing the solidified low melting point material exhibiting a prescribed volume when liquefied and a heating means for heating the low melting point material in the vessel. The liquefied low melting material is directly fed to a dispenser without using a hose in a point of time when the solidified low melting point material in the vessel is liquefied by being heated by the heating means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic material supply apparatus, and more specifically, a machine for applying an adhesive or hot melt to a substrate or a component, an auxiliary material layer formed of an auxiliary material, and a modeling material layer formed of a modeling material, It is related with the automatic material supply apparatus mounted in the three-dimensional modeling apparatus etc. which create a three-dimensional molded item while alternately laminating and cutting them.

  In the three-dimensional modeling apparatus described above, as the auxiliary material, for example, various low melting point materials such as a low melting point resin such as a low melting point metal or a thermoplastic resin such as wax are used. For example, various resin materials such as an ultraviolet curable resin are used.

  Conventionally, as an apparatus using an automatic material supply apparatus, for example, there is a three-dimensional modeling apparatus, and an auxiliary material layer formed of an auxiliary material and a modeling material layer formed of a modeling material are alternately stacked, and an end mill A three-dimensional modeling apparatus is known that forms a three-dimensional modeled object having a desired shape by cutting the auxiliary material layer and the modeling material layer with a cutting tool or the like (for example, presented as Patent Document 1) (See JP 2005-319634 A).

Here, FIG. 1 shows an enlarged schematic configuration diagram of a main part of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the conventional technique as described above.

  That is, the conventional three-dimensional modeling apparatus 10 is relative to the table 11 for forming a three-dimensional modeled object thereon in the XYZ directions (refer to the reference diagram showing the XYZ orthogonal coordinate system in FIG. 1). The carriage 16 is movably disposed in the carriage 16. A dispenser 24 for discharging a low melting point metal as an auxiliary material and a dispenser 26 for discharging an ultraviolet curable resin as a modeling material are provided on the carriage. A spindle 28 supporting the end mill 30 is attached.

  The dispenser 24 is connected to the tank 24a via a hose 24b, while the dispenser 26 is connected to the tank 26a via a hose 26b.

  Here, the low melting point metal which is an auxiliary material is stored in the tank 24a, and this low melting point metal is supplied to the dispenser 24 through the hose 24b. In order to maintain, sheet-like heaters 24c and 24aa are disposed on the outer periphery of the dispenser 24 and the outer periphery of the tank 24a, respectively.

  The tank 26a stores a liquid ultraviolet curable resin that is a modeling material, and the ultraviolet curable resin is supplied to the dispenser 26 through the hose 26b.

In the above configuration, in order to form a three-dimensional structure by the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 10, a low melting point metal that is an auxiliary material is discharged from the dispenser 24 to form an auxiliary material layer, and the dispenser 26 uses a modeling material. A modeling material layer is formed by discharging a certain ultraviolet curable resin. The auxiliary material layer and the modeling material layer are alternately stacked, and the auxiliary material layer and the modeling material layer are supported by the spindle 28. Cutting with the end mill 30.

  Since the low melting point metal discharged from the dispenser 24 goes out of the dispenser 24 heated by the heater 24c, the low melting point metal is solidified by a temperature drop according to the external temperature to form an auxiliary material layer. Further, the ultraviolet curable resin discharged from the dispenser 26 is solidified by being irradiated with ultraviolet rays by an ultraviolet irradiation device (not shown) to form a modeling material layer.

  By repeating the laminating and cutting of the auxiliary material layer and the modeling material layer described above, a three-dimensional modeled object having a desired shape can be obtained, and the three-dimensional modeled object thus obtained is immersed in warm water or the like. When the layer is liquefied and removed, a three-dimensional structure formed only from the modeling material is obtained.

By the way, in the material automatic supply apparatus used for the conventional three-dimensional modeling apparatus or the like, a heater is disposed as a heating means in each of the tank for storing the low melting point metal and the dispenser for discharging the low melting point metal.

For this reason, when the temperature of the installation place of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus is low, there is a problem that the low melting point metal may solidify when the tank for storing the low melting point metal and the dispenser are connected.

  In order to solve such problems, a heater may be disposed on the outer periphery of the hose connecting the tank for storing the low melting point metal and the dispenser. However, the arrangement of such a heater increases the manufacturing cost, In addition, it causes a new problem of wasting resources because it continues to supply heat when it is not needed.

  Further, since the low melting point metal used as the auxiliary material is a molten alloy, when solidification occurs in a tank storing the low melting point metal, there is a possibility that the metal component is biased due to segregation. Such segregation can be prevented by constantly stirring the low melting point metal in the tank, but in order to always stir the low melting point metal in the tank, all the low melting point metal in the tank is melted. Without stirring, it could not be stirred.

  However, in order to melt all the low-melting point metals in the tank, a heater with a large output is required, which is one of the causes of an increase in manufacturing cost, and automating the stirring of the low-melting point metals in the tank. There is a problem that it is necessary to provide means for that, and the installation of such means leads to an increase in manufacturing cost.

  The above-described segregation of the low melting point metal may also occur in the hose 24 connected to the tank for storing the low melting point metal.

  However, it is impossible to stir the low melting point metal present in the hose. If the low melting point metal is segregated in the hose, the low melting point metal may block the hose. there were.

  On the other hand, a pump (not shown) is used to send the low melting point metal from the tank to the hose, but a pump with a large output is required to send the low melting point metal from the tank to the hose. However, there is also a problem that it increases the manufacturing cost.

Furthermore, when the dispenser is driven in a state in which the low melting point metal that is an auxiliary material is filled in the dispenser up to the maximum amount, the weight of the entire dispenser increases, so the load on the motor that drives the dispenser is large. Become. Therefore, it is necessary to mount a motor with a large output, and the mounting of such a motor also causes a problem of increasing the manufacturing cost.

JP 2005-319634 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described various problems of the prior art, and its object is to prevent material segregation and solidification inside the material supply tank of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus. In addition, the present invention is intended to provide an automatic material supply apparatus that can reduce the manufacturing cost by cutting the heat source by a heater when it is not necessary.

  In order to achieve the above object, an automatic material supply apparatus according to the present invention includes a container for storing a solidified material, and heating means for heating the material in the container (for example, disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the container, Inductive Heating (IH) heater that heats and liquefies the solid state material in the container, and the solidified material in the container is heated and liquefied by the heating means. At this point, the material liquefied directly from the container without using a hose is supplied to the dispenser.

That is, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is an automatic material supply apparatus for supplying a material to a dispenser, and includes a container having a lower opening at a lower portion and capable of containing a solid material as an auxiliary material, Heating means for heating and liquefying the solid-state material in the container, an upper opening in the upper part and a discharge opening in the lower part, and the liquid material supplied from the upper part in the upper part A dispenser capable of discharging from the discharge opening; and a moving means for connecting or separating the lower opening of the container and the upper opening of the dispenser by relatively moving the container and the dispenser. In the state where the lower opening of the container and the upper opening of the dispenser are connected by the moving means, the heating means The material in the solid state is heated and liquefied, and the material in the container that has become liquid by the liquefaction is supplied from the lower opening to the dispenser through the upper opening. .

  Further, the invention according to claim 2 of the present invention is the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention, wherein the heating means is disposed in an outer peripheral portion of the container, and the solid state in the container This is an electromagnetic induction heater that heats and liquefies the material.

  The invention according to claim 3 of the present invention is the invention according to claim 1 or 2 of the present invention, wherein the dispenser comprises a heating means for heating the liquid material supplied from the container. It is what you have.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the first, second, or third aspect of the present invention, the dispenser has an atmospheric pressure adjusting means for adjusting an atmospheric pressure in the dispenser. It is a thing.

  The invention according to claim 5 of the present invention is the invention according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 of the present invention, wherein the material is a low melting point metal.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to prevent segregation and solidification of a low-melting-point material inside the three-dimensional modeling apparatus, and to reduce manufacturing costs. An excellent effect is achieved.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of an automatic material supply apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, a low melting point metal is used as the material.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic front perspective configuration explanatory diagram of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus provided with an automatic material supply apparatus according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

  The three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 includes a U-shaped gate-shaped arm portion configured by a pair of substantially quadrangular columnar support portions 12L and 12R extending in the Z direction and a bottom portion 12B connecting the support portions 12L and 12R. 12 is provided.

  A rail portion 14 is supported on each upper end portion of the pair of support portions 12L and 12R constituting the portal arm portion 12, and the rail portion 14 has an X-axis direction (XYZ orthogonal coordinate system in FIG. 2). The carriage 16 is disposed so as to be movable within a predetermined range.

  A spindle 28 is fixed on a head 15 which is adjacent to the carriage 16 and is movably movable within a predetermined range in the Z-axis direction with respect to the carriage 16. Further, a slider (shaded portion in FIG. 2) that is movable within a predetermined range in the Z-axis direction is disposed on the spindle 28. The dispenser 102 that discharges a low melting point metal as an auxiliary material and an ultraviolet ray as a modeling material are disposed on the slider. A dispenser 114 that discharges the cured resin is also provided.

A holder 120 having a surface parallel to the installation surface of the 3D modeling apparatus 100 is attached to the rail portion 14. The holder 120 is formed with two through holes, and a syringe 106 serving as an auxiliary material supply means can be attached to the through hole.

  The holder 120 is disposed at a position where the movement of the carriage 16 is not hindered, and the through hole formed in the holder 120 is centered on the center of the dispenser 102 attached to the carriage 16. It arrange | positions so that it may be located on the same plane in a Z-axis direction.

A table 22 that is movable within a predetermined range in the Y-axis direction is disposed on a substantially rectangular frame portion 18 that extends in the Y-axis direction on the bottom 12B of the portal arm 12.

  A substantially box-shaped recovery tank 20 that collects cutting powder and the like is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the table 22 so as to surround the table 22, and the recovery tank 20 is not shown through a drain pipe (not shown). It is connected to the.

  Further, the upper surface 22a of the table 22 is formed on a horizontal plane, and on this upper surface 22a, an auxiliary material layer formed of an auxiliary material and a modeling material layer formed of a modeling material are laminated to form a three-dimensional model. Things are formed.

Here, the entire operation of the 3D modeling apparatus 100 is controlled by a microcomputer. That is, the carriage 16 is moved in the X-axis direction according to a predetermined resolution by the microcomputer, the dispenser 102, the dispenser 114, and the spindle 28 are moved in the Z-axis direction, and the table 22 is moved in the Y-axis direction together with the collection tank 20. Is done.

  Accordingly, the relative positional relationship between the end mill 30 supported by the dispenser 102, the dispenser 114 and the spindle 28 and the three-dimensional structure formed on the upper surface 22a of the table 22 is determined in the XYZ directions (the XYZ orthogonal coordinate system in FIG. It can be arbitrarily moved to the reference diagram shown in FIG.

Next, the dispenser 102 is designed so that the low melting point metal accommodated in the syringe 106 is supplied. The dispenser 102 stores the low melting point metal 102h (see FIG. 3) and the low melting point. On the outer peripheral surface of the metal discharge part 102i (refer FIG. 3), the heater 102b is arrange | positioned over the substantially full length. By heating the storage part 102h and the low melting point metal discharge part 102i by the heater 102b, the low melting point metal stored in the dispenser 102 can be heated to a predetermined temperature and maintained in a liquid state.

  As will be described later, the low melting point metal heated to a predetermined temperature by the heater 102b and maintained in a liquid state is discharged downward from the lower end portion 102a of the dispenser 102 and applied in a predetermined amount to a predetermined position. It is controlled.

  The dispenser 114 is designed to be supplied with an ultraviolet curable resin stored in a tank (not shown), and is attached to the tip of the dispenser 114 connected to a syringe 114b that stores a modeling material supplied from the tank (not shown). One drop of the modeling material is discharged from the positioned discharge port 114a. In this way, the modeling material discharged from the discharge port 114a of the dispenser 114 is controlled so as to be applied as a droplet to a predetermined position at a predetermined amount.

Next, FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b) show a partial sectional schematic configuration explanatory view of the dispenser 102 (FIG. 3 (a) is an A arrow view (top view) of the dispenser 102, FIG. 3B is a front view.) The dispenser 102 has a double structure having an inner cylinder 102c and an outer cylinder 102d having a substantially cylindrical shape.

  Here, a storage portion 102h is formed at a lower portion of the inner cylinder 102c, and a lid 102f is disposed at the upper end portion 102e.

  The lid 102f described above is pivotally supported by a rod 102g bridged to the upper end 102e. A coil spring 102j is wound around the rod 102g, one end of the coil spring 102j is locked to the rod 102g, the other end is locked to the lid 102f, and the coil spring 102j is locked to the lid 102f. Is biased so as to close the upper opening 102k of the inner cylinder 102c.

  Accordingly, when a downward force larger than the urging force of the coil spring 102j is applied to the lid 102f, the lid 102f rotates downward about the rod 102g as a rotation axis, and the upper opening 102k is opened. On the other hand, as long as a downward force larger than the biasing force of the coil spring 102j does not act, the upper opening 102k is kept closed by the lid 102f.

  On the other hand, a low melting point metal discharge part 102i is provided in a region below the inner cylinder 102c in the outer cylinder 102d, and a valve mechanism 108 that can be opened and closed is disposed in the low melting point metal discharge part 102i.

  The valve mechanism 108 is connected to the storage portion 102h, and the discharge of the low melting point metal stored in the storage portion 102h is controlled by the valve mechanism 108.

  In the low melting point metal discharge portion 102i, the pipe 110b serving as a flow path for the low melting point metal discharged from the valve mechanism 108, the nozzle pressing member 110 connected to the pipe 110b, and the low pressure metal discharge portion 102i are provided on the downstream side of the valve mechanism 108. A nozzle 112 for discharging the melting point metal while rotating is provided.

The valve mechanism 108 has a convex portion 108g on the side surface of the central portion, and a coil spring 108a is wound around the side surface above the convex portion 108g. This coil spring 108a has an urging force in the expanding direction, so that the open / close portion 108c, which is the end of the valve mechanism 108 that blocks the low melting point metal flowing from the storage portion 102h, can be maintained closed. The end portion is locked to the lower end portion of the storage portion 102h, and the other end portion is locked to the convex portion 108g.

  A coil spring 110a is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 110b, which is a low melting point metal flow path, and one end of the coil spring 110a is locked to the flow path inner convex part 110c, and the other end. Is locked to the upper end of the nozzle pressing member 110. The coil spring 110a urges the nozzle pressing member 110 downward so that the nozzle pressing member 110 and the nozzle 112 are in close contact with each other (see FIGS. 3 and 5).

  A flow path 108d through which the low-melting-point metal flowing through the pipe 108b passes is present on the side surface of the opening / closing part 108c, which is the terminal part of the valve mechanism 108, and the opening / closing part 108c is in an open state. The flow path 108f communicates only when the flow path 108f is connected to the pipe 110b.

Next, on the outer surface of the dispenser 102, the air pressure adjusting means 103 and the valve opening / closing means 104 are provided at two locations: a side surface between the lid 102f and the upper end of the storage portion 102h, and a side surface near the opening / closing portion 108c of the valve mechanism 108. A through-hole for supplying gas from is formed.

  The pressure adjusting means 103 and the valve opening / closing means 104 are disposed on the side surface of the dispenser 102 so as to be parallel to the installation surface of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100, and a pump (not shown) for controlling the atmospheric pressure. It has a substantially cylindrical shape communicating with. The pressure adjusting means 103 is connected to a through hole for supplying gas to the upper part of the dispenser 102, and the valve opening / closing means 104 is a connecting pipe 104b connected to the through hole for supplying gas to the lower part of the dispenser 102. Have

Next, the structure of the syringe 106 that supplies the material to the dispenser 102 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  The syringe 106 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and its upper end and lower end are open. An IH heater 106a is disposed on the outer periphery of the central portion of the syringe 106. For this reason, the outer periphery of the central portion has a larger diameter than the upper and lower portions. In addition, a convex portion 106c is provided at the bottom of the central portion so as to be able to fit into the through hole having the same length as the diameter of the through hole formed in the holder 120.

  The inside of the syringe 106 has an inner diameter that changes in the vicinity of the lower end of the central portion, and the lower portion has a smaller diameter than the upper portion. Since the portion generated by the difference in diameter between the upper part and the lower part becomes a tray, it is possible to fill the syringe 106 with the solid low-melting point metal formed in the shape of FIG. (Refer to FIG. 4C).

  Two syringes 106 having such a low melting point metal are inserted into the through holes of the holder 120 and arranged.

In this three-dimensional modeling apparatus, the syringe 106, the IH heater 106a, the dispenser 102, and the head 15 constitute an automatic material supply apparatus.

In the above configuration, the operation of the above-described three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 will be described. Regarding the control of the discharge of the modeling material and the cutting operation of the modeling material layer and the auxiliary material layer by such a three-dimensional modeling apparatus, for example, Since it is a known technique as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-319634, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. In the following, an operation when discharging a low melting point metal as an auxiliary material by the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 related to the implementation of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the operation when supplying the low melting point metal as the auxiliary material from the syringe 106 to the dispenser 102 will be described. In order to supply the low melting point metal as the auxiliary material from the syringe 106 to the dispenser 102, each of them is independent. It is necessary to connect the existing dispenser 102 and the syringe 106.

  Therefore, first, the position of the dispenser 102 is adjusted by moving the carriage 16 in the X-axis direction so that the center of the lid 102f of the dispenser 102 is located directly below the center of the lower end portion 106b of the syringe 106.

  Next, the head 15 is moved in the Z-axis direction so that the lower end portion 106 b of the syringe 106 is inserted into the dispenser 102. The lid 102 f of the dispenser 102 is pushed down by the lower end portion 106 b of the syringe 106, and the dispenser 102 is raised until the bottom portion of the central portion of the syringe 106 hits the upper end of the dispenser 102.

  By such an operation, the dispenser 102 and the syringe 106 are connected to each other, and the dispenser 102 is in a state where it can accept the low melting point metal as an auxiliary material from the syringe 106 (see FIG. 5).

  Next, in order to move the low melting point metal to the dispenser 102, the IH heater 106a disposed in the syringe 106 is turned on in order to change the solid low melting point metal into a liquid state by heating.

  The low melting point metal heated by the IH heater 106a is, for example, completely melted in about 2 minutes to be in a liquid state, and moves from the syringe 106 to the storage portion 102h of the dispenser 102. For example, about 50 ml of a low melting point metal is supplied from one syringe to the reservoir 102h.

  In this state, the low melting point metal is stored in the storage portion 102h of the dispenser 102, and the auxiliary material can be discharged. At this time, in order to prevent the low melting point metal from solidifying, the sheet-like heater 102b disposed on the outer periphery of the dispenser 102 is turned on.

  After the supply of the low melting point metal to the dispenser 102 is completed, the dispenser 102 needs to be separated from the syringe 106 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction.

  For this reason, the head 15 is moved downward and the lower end portion 106b of the syringe 106 is pulled out from the opening portion 102k of the dispenser 102 in the reverse procedure to the case where the syringe 106 is inserted into the dispenser 102.

  When the dispenser 102 and the syringe 106 are separated, the lid 102f of the dispenser 102 is automatically closed by the urging force of the coil spring 102j, and in this state, the dispenser 102 incorporates a low melting point metal as an auxiliary material in the reservoir 102h. At the same time, it is movable in the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction (see FIG. 6).

  Next, in order to move the low melting point metal stored in the storage part 102h downward, the atmospheric pressure adjusting means 103 is operated, air is sent in the direction of the arrow A shown in FIG. Apply pressure in the direction of arrow B.

  The low melting point metal is pushed downward by the pressure in the B direction, moves from the storage portion 102h to the inside of the valve mechanism 108, and moves to the vicinity of the opening / closing portion 108c that is an end portion of the valve mechanism 108. The low melting point metal that has moved to the vicinity of the opening / closing portion 108c flows into the flow path 108d provided on the side surface of the opening / closing portion 108c and stops at the end portion 108e (see FIG. 7A).

  In order to discharge the low melting point metal, it is necessary to operate the valve mechanism 108 to open the opening / closing part 108c, and to connect the end part 108e of the flow path 108d and the flow path 108f existing ahead of the opening / closing part 108c.

  Here, in order to open the opening / closing part 108c and open the valve mechanism 108, pressurized air is sent from the valve opening / closing means 104 to the connecting pipe 104b so as to apply wind pressure in the direction of arrow C shown in FIG. Has been made.

  The wind pressure in the C direction is set so as to act on the convex portion 108g of the valve mechanism 108. Therefore, the wind pressure in the C direction exceeds the urging force of the coil spring 108a that closes the valve mechanism 108. If so, the entire valve mechanism 108 will move upward.

  In this state, the opening / closing part 108c of the valve mechanism 108 is opened, the flow path 108d and the flow path 108f communicate with each other, and the low-melting point metal remaining in the end 108e flows through the flow path 108f to reduce the pressure downward. The pipe 110b connected to the lower side is reached by being prompted (see FIG. 7B).

  The low-melting-point metal that has flowed into the tube 110b passes through the nozzle pressing member 110 that exists below the metal, and reaches the upper end of the nozzle 112. The low-melting-point metal enters the groove 112a of the nozzle 112 from the outer end 112aa, travels from the outer end 112aa to the central recess, and rotates along the groove 112a (see FIG. 8).

  Then, the low melting point metal having the pressure in the direction of arrow B shown in FIG. 6 and the rotational force obtained by passing through the groove 112a in the dispenser 102 is sprayed from the discharge port 112b.

  Through the above operation, the low melting point metal contained in the syringe 106 is discharged from the dispenser 102.

  When all the low melting point metal stored in the storage portion 102h of the dispenser 102 is discharged, the low melting point metal can be obtained by performing the same operation as described above from the syringe 106 ′ placed on the holder 120. Can be supplied.

As described above, in the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 100 including an example of the embodiment of the automatic material supply apparatus according to the present invention, the low melting point metal is provided only when it is desired to supply the low melting point metal to the dispenser 102. It is configured to connect with the syringe 106.

  For this reason, it is not necessary to store more than the required amount of low-melting metal in the liquid state in the dispenser, and only the amount that can maintain the liquid state by heating the sheet heater can be stored in the dispenser. Absent.

  Further, only when the low melting point metal is moved from the syringe 106 to the dispenser 102, the IH heater 106a disposed on the syringe 106 may be turned on, and the IH heater 106a should be turned off except when necessary. Can reduce the cost.

  Furthermore, the low melting point metal formed when the syringe 106 is filled with the solid low melting point metal gradually melts from the outer peripheral portion due to the heat of the IH heater 106a, but the bottom portion has a concave shape. Since the central portion that melts in this way does not fall downward in the form of a lump, there is no possibility of clogging with a low melting point metal in the syringe 106 or the dispenser 102.

  Furthermore, since the upper end of the dispenser 102 is kept closed with the lid 102f closed, the air in the dispenser 102 does not leak from the upper opening 102k of the dispenser 102, and the internal pressure is reduced. It is possible to keep it constant.

  Therefore, it is possible to continue discharging at a stable speed without weakening the force in the direction of arrow B shown in FIG.

The embodiment described above can be modified as shown in the following (1) to (3).

  (1) In the above-described embodiment, there are two through holes drilled in the holder 120. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and one or a plurality of through holes are provided. One or a plurality of syringes may be placed.

  (2) In the above-described embodiment, the low melting point metal is used as the auxiliary material and the ultraviolet curable resin is used as the modeling material. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various materials are supported. It may be used as a material or a modeling material.

  For example, as the auxiliary material, a low melting point material such as a low melting point resin such as a thermoplastic resin such as wax may be used, and as the modeling material, visible light or electron beam of radiation different from ultraviolet rays or electron beam or You may make it use the photocurable resin insoluble in the water hardened | cured by the other light.

  (3) You may make it combine suitably the embodiment shown above and the modification shown in said (1) thru | or (2).

  The present invention can be used when manufacturing parts or designing models in trial production or mass production.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a part of a conventional three-dimensional modeling apparatus. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration explanatory view showing an example of an embodiment of a three-dimensional modeling apparatus provided with an automatic material supply apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration explanatory view showing a part of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus shown in FIG. 2 in an enlarged manner, (a) is an end view of the upper part of the auxiliary material dispenser, and (b) is an auxiliary material of FIG. It is a partial cross section explanatory view of a dispenser. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the syringe of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2, (a) is a perspective explanatory view of the syringe, and (b) is a conceptual diagram illustrating the shape of a low-melting-point metal. (C) is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a syringe. FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional explanatory view showing an enlarged part of an example of the embodiment of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus shown in FIG. 2 and showing a state in which a dispenser of an auxiliary material and a syringe are connected. It is. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional explanatory view showing a part of an example of the embodiment of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus shown in FIG. 2 and showing a state in which a low melting point metal is supplied into a dispenser of auxiliary material. It is what. 7 (a) and 7 (b) are cross-sectional explanatory views showing an enlarged part of the auxiliary material dispenser of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus shown in FIG. 8A is an end view of the lower part of the nozzle of the auxiliary material dispenser of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II of FIG. 8A. is there.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10,100 Three-dimensional modeling apparatus 11 Table 12 Arm part 12B Bottom part 12R, 12L Support part 14 Rail part 15 Head 16 Carriage 18 Frame part 20 Collection tank
22 Table 22a Upper surface 24, 26, 102, 114 Dispenser 28 Spindle 30 End mill 102a Lower end part 102b Heater 102c Inner cylinder 102d Outer cylinder 102e Upper end part 102f Lid 102g Rod 102h Storage part 102i Low melting point metal discharge part 102j Coil spring 102k Upper opening part 103 Atmospheric pressure adjusting means 104 Valve opening / closing means 104a Supporting part 104b Connecting pipe 106, 106 'Syringe 106a IH heater 106b Lower end part 106c Convex part 108 Valve 108a Coil spring 108b Pipe 108c Opening / closing part 108d Channel 108e End part 108f Channel 108g Convex part 110 Nozzle Pressing member 110a Coil spring 110b Pipe 110c Flow path inner convex part 112 Nozzle 112a Groove 112aa Outer end part 112b Discharge port 14a discharge port 114b syringe 120 Holder

Claims (5)

In an apparatus for supplying material to a dispenser,
A container having a lower opening in a lower part and capable of accommodating a solid material as an auxiliary material;
Heating means for heating and liquefying the solid state material in the container;
A dispenser that includes an upper opening in the upper part and a discharge opening in the lower part, and is capable of discharging the liquid material supplied from the upper part from the discharge opening,
Moving means for relatively moving the container and the dispenser to connect or separate the lower opening of the container and the upper opening of the dispenser;
In a state where the lower opening of the container and the upper opening of the dispenser are connected by the moving means, the solid material is heated and liquefied by the heating means, and becomes a liquid state by the liquefaction. The material in the container is supplied from the lower opening to the dispenser through the upper opening. In the material automatic supply apparatus according to claim 1,
The automatic material supply apparatus, wherein the heating means is an electromagnetic induction heater that is disposed on an outer peripheral portion of the container and heats and liquefies the solid material in the container. The material automatic supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The dispenser has a heating means for heating the material in a liquid state supplied from the container. In the material automatic supply apparatus according to claim 1, 2, or 3,
The dispenser has an air pressure adjusting means for adjusting the air pressure in the dispenser. In the material automatic supply apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4,
The material is a low-melting-point metal.

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