JP2018202685A - Liquid material supply device and three-dimensional modeling device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a stable and quick operation of a liquid material supply device for supplying a liquid material to an inkjet nozzle for a three-dimensional modeling device.SOLUTION: A liquid material supply device 40 is a device that supplies a liquid material lm to an inkjet nozzle 30 used in a three-dimensional modeling device. The liquid material supply device 40 includes a holding tank 60 for holding the liquid material supplied to the ink jet nozzle, a supply container 70 disposed above the holding tank for holding the liquid material to be supplied to the holding tank, a first pipe 81 having an upper end 81a opened in the supply container and a lower end 81b opened in the holding tank, and a second pipe 82 having an upper end 82a opened in the supply container at a position lower than an upper end of the first pipe 81 and a lower end 82b for delivering the liquid material transferred from the supply container into a holding layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid material supply apparatus that supplies a liquid material to an inkjet nozzle for a three-dimensional modeling apparatus and a three-dimensional modeling apparatus that includes the liquid material supply apparatus.

  As a means for realizing 3D modeling based on AM (Additive Manufacturing) technology, a 3D modeling apparatus called a 3D printer is attracting attention. By using the three-dimensional modeling apparatus, it is possible to easily and quickly make a part having a relatively complicated structure.

  For example, patent document 1 is disclosing the apparatus which manufactures a three-dimensional molded item by the layered solidification of a powdery modeling material. In this apparatus, a powder layer is formed on a stage movable in the vertical direction, and a liquid material is supplied to the powder layer in a predetermined pattern. The liquid material functions as a binder material for the powder material, and the powder material is solidified in a pattern supplied with the liquid material. Then, the stage is lowered, a new powder layer is formed on the stage, and the liquid material is supplied to the new powder layer. A three-dimensional structure is created by repeating such a series of steps.

  In Patent Document 1, an inkjet nozzle is used to supply a liquid material. The ink jet nozzle can eject the liquid in the ink chamber from the ejection port by applying pressure to the ink chamber communicating with the ejection port. According to such an ink jet nozzle, the liquid material can be rapidly supplied onto the powder layer in a high-definition pattern.

  The ink chamber of the inkjet nozzle is supplied with the liquid material from the liquid material supply device after the liquid material is ejected. The liquid material supply device has a holding container that contains the liquid material. This holding container is maintained at a constant internal pressure. When the holding container communicates with the inkjet nozzle, the liquid material is automatically supplied from the holding container to the ink chamber as the liquid in the ink chamber is consumed.

JP, 2006-203425, A

  By the way, the liquid level of the liquid material in the holding container is monitored by using a detection means such as a thermistor, a float, or an optical sensor. And according to the detection result by a detection means, a liquid material is replenished to a holding | maintenance container. However, it cannot be said that the reliability of the detection means is sufficient, and the detection means may not be able to accurately detect the liquid level due to dirt or deterioration. In general, the amount of liquid material stored in the holding container is replenished using a pump or the like when a lower limit is detected, and the replenishment is stopped when the upper limit is detected. With the replenishment of the liquid material, the meniscus state at the discharge port of the inkjet nozzle changes, and the printing state also changes. In addition, the meniscus at the discharge port of the ink jet nozzle may become unstable when the pump for replenishment is started.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to make the operation of a liquid material supply device that supplies a liquid material to an inkjet nozzle for a three-dimensional modeling apparatus stable and quick.

A first liquid material supply apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
A liquid material supply device for supplying a liquid material to an inkjet nozzle used in a three-dimensional modeling apparatus,
A holding tank for holding a liquid material supplied to the inkjet nozzle;
A replenishment container disposed above the holding tank and holding a liquid material to be replenished to the holding tank;
A first pipe having an upper end opened in the replenishing container and a lower end opened in the holding tank;
A second pipe having an upper end opened in the supply container at a position below the upper end of the first pipe.

  In the first liquid material supply apparatus according to the present invention, the lower end of the second pipe may be located below the lower end of the first pipe.

  In the first liquid material supply device according to the present invention, the replenishing container has a liquid surface height lower than the upper end of the first pipe and higher than the upper end of the second pipe. The liquid material may be held so that

  In the first liquid material supply device according to the present invention, the lower end of the first pipe may be positioned at a liquid level of the liquid material to be adjusted in the holding tank.

  In the first liquid material supply apparatus according to the present invention, when the liquid surface height of the liquid material in the holding tank is lower than the liquid surface height to be adjusted, the first pipe is placed in the supply container. Gas may be transferred, and the second pipe may transfer the liquid material in the replenishing container to the holding tank.

A first liquid material supply apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
A housing for housing the holding tank;
Pressure control means for controlling the pressure in the housing, and
The pressure control means includes gas supply / discharge means, and a supply / discharge pipe provided between the gas supply / discharge means and the housing,
An end of the supply / discharge pipe on the housing side may be located outside the holding tank.

A second liquid material supply device according to the present invention comprises:
A liquid material supply device for supplying a liquid material to an inkjet nozzle used in a three-dimensional modeling apparatus,
A holding tank for holding a liquid material supplied to the inkjet nozzle;
A replenishment container disposed above the holding tank and holding a liquid material to be replenished to the holding tank;
When the liquid level of the liquid material in the holding tank is lower than the liquid level to be adjusted, the first pipe for transferring gas from the holding tank to the replenishing container and the replenishing container A second pipe for transferring the liquid material to the holding tank.

The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to the present invention is
One of the first and second liquid material supply devices according to the present invention;
An inkjet nozzle that is supplied with the liquid material from the liquid material supply device.

  According to the present invention, the operation of the liquid material supply device can be performed stably and quickly.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an inkjet powder type three-dimensional modeling apparatus. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus of FIG. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an ink jet nozzle and a liquid material supply device included in the three-dimensional modeling apparatus of FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the liquid material supply apparatus of FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the liquid material supply apparatus of FIG. FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view for explaining a modification of the pressure control means included in the liquid material supply apparatus. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view for explaining another modification of the pressure control means included in the liquid material supply apparatus. FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view for explaining still another modification of the pressure control means included in the liquid material supply apparatus. FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view for explaining still another modified example of the pressure control means included in the liquid material supply apparatus.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, for the sake of convenience, the scale, the vertical / horizontal dimensional ratio, and the like are exaggerated by changing them from the actual ones. In addition, the terms and values specifying the shapes, geometric conditions, and their levels used in this specification are not limited to strict meanings, and may include a range where similar functions can be expected. Interpret it. Further, in this specification, the terms “upper” and “lower” are defined based on a vertical direction based on a direction in which gravity acts.

  1 to 11 are diagrams for explaining an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the 3D modeling apparatus 10 includes a control unit 15 and a 3D modeling machine 20. The control unit 15 controls the operation of each component of the 3D modeling machine 20. The control unit 15 is configured to input / output a keyboard 17 on which an operator or the like performs a command input operation to manage the 3D modeling apparatus 10, a display 18 that visualizes and displays the operation status of the 3D modeling apparatus 10, and the like. Connected to the device. In addition, the control unit 15 can access a recording medium 16 on which a program for realizing processing executed by the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 10 is recorded. The recording medium 16 can be configured from a known program recording medium such as a semiconductor memory such as a ROM and a RAM, a disk-shaped recording medium such as a hard disk and a DVD-ROM.

  The three-dimensional modeling machine 20 manufactures a three-dimensional modeled object O by laminating unit layers ul (see FIG. 4) obtained by solidifying a material with a predetermined solidification pattern based on a control signal from the control unit 15. To do. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the three-dimensional modeling machine 20 is formed by bonding or solidifying the powder material pm in the predetermined pattern by applying the liquid material lm in a predetermined pattern to the layer of the powder material pm. The unit layer ul is sequentially formed to complete the three-dimensional structure O.

  As the powder material pm, for example, any powder such as a synthetic powder such as polyamide or polystyrene, a material such as gypsum, glass beads, sand, or an organic material such as starch can be used. Can be used. Further, as the liquid material lm, for example, a binding liquid containing a curable resin can be used. In recent years, it has been studied to produce a biocompatible shaped article as a three-dimensional shaped article O. A biocompatible shaped article is an article that is supposed to be applied to a living body, and is typically implanted into a living body. When producing a biocompatible shaped article, for example, dried collagen powder can be used as the powder material pm, and water that functions as a binder can be used as the liquid material lm.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the three-dimensional modeling machine 20 includes a stage 25, an elevating means 26, a partition wall 27, a powder material supply device 28, a recoater 29, an inkjet nozzle 30, and a liquid material supply device 40. The ink jet printing apparatus P is configured by the ink jet nozzle 30 and the liquid material supply apparatus 40. In the three-dimensional modeling machine 20, the three-dimensional modeled object O is produced on the stage 25. The stage 25 is disposed in a space surrounded by the partition wall 27. The elevating means 26 is connected to the stage 25 and drives the stage 25 up and down. In other words, the stage 25 can move up and down within the space surrounded by the partition wall 27. As the elevating means 263, for example, a fluid pressure cylinder, a ball screw mechanism, a linear motor, a pantograph, or the like can be used.

  The powder material supply device 28 is means for supplying the powder material pm. The powder material supply device 28 is movable in the left-right direction on the paper surface of FIG. The powder material supply device 28 has a longitudinal direction in the depth direction of the paper surface in FIG. 1, and can supply the powder material pm linearly along the longitudinal direction. As a result, the powder material supply device 28 can supply the powder material pm to the entire area on the stage 25 by applying the powder material pm while moving.

  The recoater 29 is an elongated member, and has a longitudinal direction in the depth direction of the paper surface in FIG. The recoater 29 is movable in the left-right direction on the paper surface in FIG. The recoater 29 moves on the stage 25, thereby leveling the powder material pm supplied onto the stage 25 and forming a layer of the powder material pm having a certain thickness.

  As with the powder material supply device 28, the inkjet nozzle 30 has a longitudinal direction in the depth direction of the paper surface in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the inkjet nozzle 30 has a large number of ejection ports 31 along its longitudinal direction dl. The ink jet nozzle 30 has an ink chamber 32 and adjusting means (not shown) for adjusting the pressure in the ink chamber 32 corresponding to each ejection port 31. Examples of the adjusting means for adjusting the pressure include a piezoelectric element such as a piezo element and a heating element. In the inkjet nozzle 30, by controlling the pressure of each ink chamber 32 independently of the other ink chambers 32, it is possible to control whether or not the liquid material lm is discharged from the discharge ports 31 corresponding to the ink chambers 32. it can. The inkjet nozzle 30 is movable in the left-right direction of the paper surface in FIG. As a result, the inkjet nozzle 30 can apply the liquid material lm in an arbitrary pattern to the layer of the powder material pm formed on the stage 25.

  The inkjet nozzle 30 is connected to the liquid material supply device 40 via the supply pipe 35. The supply pipe 35 is connected to an internal passage 33 formed in the inkjet nozzle 30. The internal passage 33 communicates with an ink chamber 32 formed in the inkjet nozzle 30. The liquid material supply device 40 supplies the liquid material lm to the inkjet nozzle 30 via the supply pipe 35. The liquid material supply device 40 stably supplies the liquid material lm maintained at a constant pressure to the inkjet nozzle 30 so as not to break the meniscus formed at the discharge port 31 of the inkjet nozzle 30.

  The meniscus at the ejection port 31 is formed by a balance between the pressure in the ink chamber 32 and the external pressure of the ejection port 31. If the meniscus is not stable, the discharge amount of the liquid material lm varies, and the liquid material lm may leak from the discharge port 31. That is, supplying a liquid material lm having a constant pressure into the ink jet nozzle 30 to stabilize the meniscus is to apply the liquid material lm in a desired pattern, and further to produce a three-dimensional structure O having a desired shape. Is extremely important. In this regard, the liquid material supply device 40 described here is devised so that the liquid material lm can be rapidly supplied at a constant pressure. As a result, it is possible to apply the liquid material lm with a desired pattern with high accuracy, and thus it is possible to stably produce the three-dimensional structure O having a desired shape. The liquid material supply device 40 will be described in detail later.

  The supply pipe 35 is a cylindrical member. When the liquid material supply device 40 is movable in synchronization with the inkjet nozzle 30, the supply pipe 35 can be a highly rigid member made of, for example, resin or metal. On the other hand, when the liquid material supply device 40 is stationary and only the inkjet nozzle 30 moves, the supply pipe 35 can be a flexible member made of, for example, rubber. However, in order to prevent the supply pipe 35 from being crushed and closing the flow path of the liquid material lm through the supply pipe 35, the supply pipe 35 preferably has a certain degree of rigidity. .

  Next, a method for manufacturing the three-dimensional structure O using the three-dimensional structure forming apparatus 10 will be described. The manufacturing method of the three-dimensional modeling apparatus described below is implemented by the control unit 15 reading a program recorded in advance on the recording medium 16.

  In the manufacturing method of the three-dimensional structure O described here, unit layers (cross-sectional layers) ul obtained by dividing the three-dimensional structure O to be manufactured into a large number along one direction are sequentially manufactured. Thus, the three-dimensional structure O is finally formed. The specific operation of each component of the three-dimensional modeling machine 20 is as follows.

  First, as shown in FIG. 2, the stage 25 is maintained at a predetermined height by the elevating means 26. Specifically, a recess having a certain depth is formed by the upper surface of the stage 25 and the partition wall 27.

  Next, the powder material supply device 28 and the recoater 29 move on the stage 25. At this time, the powder material supply device 28 supplies the powder material pm onto the stage 25. The recoater 29 spreads the powder material pm supplied on the stage 25. Thereby, a layer of the powder material pm having a certain thickness is formed on the stage 25. As shown in FIG. 2, during the movement of the powder material supply device 28 and the recoater 29, the inkjet nozzle 30 is stationary at a position shifted from the region above the stage 25.

  After that, as shown in FIG. 3, the powder material supply device 28 and the recoater 29 return to a position shifted from the region above the stage 25. Next, the inkjet nozzle 30 moves on the stage 25. The inkjet nozzle 30 applies the liquid material lm to the layer of the powder material pm on the stage 25 in a predetermined pattern according to the control signal from the control unit 15. In the region where the liquid material lm is applied in the layer of the powder material pm on the stage 25, the powder material pm is solidified or bonded.

  Through the above steps, a unit layer ul is formed in which the powder material pm is hardened in a predetermined pattern (two-dimensional shape). In addition, the process which hardens the sclerosing | hardenable substance contained in liquid material lm after application | coating of liquid material lm may be performed.

  Thereafter, the elevating means 26 lowers the stage 25 by a predetermined amount. From this state, the formation of the layer of the powder material pm and the application of the liquid material lm are performed again, and another unit layer ul is formed on the unit layer ul. As shown in FIG. 4, the unit layers ul that are sequentially formed are coupled to each other, whereby the three-dimensional structure O can be integrally formed. Finally, by removing the unbonded portion of the powder material pm to which the liquid material lm is not applied, a three-dimensional structure O having a desired shape is obtained.

  Next, the liquid material supply device 40 will be described in further detail. As described above, the liquid material supply device 40 has been devised to enable stable and quick supply of the liquid material lm to the inkjet nozzle 30, and thereby, The application accuracy of the liquid material lm can be effectively improved.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the liquid material supply apparatus 40 includes a holding tank 60, a supply container 70, a first pipe 81 and a second pipe 82 as main components. The holding tank 60 and the supply container 70 store the liquid material lm. On the other hand, the first pipe 81 and the second pipe 82 enable fluid to move between the holding tank 60 and the replenishing container 70.

  The holding tank 60 is connected to the supply pipe 35. The liquid material lm stored in the holding tank 60 is supplied to the inkjet nozzle 30 via the supply pipe 35. Accordingly, the holding tank 60 is in fluid communication with each ink chamber 32 of the inkjet nozzle 30 via the supply pipe 35 and the internal passage 33 of the inkjet nozzle 30. On the other hand, the supply container 70 is formed as a sealed container. That is, the replenishing container 70 is sealed except that it communicates with the holding tank 60 through the first pipe 81 and the second pipe 82. The replenishment container 70 is arranged so as to be shifted in the vertical direction dv with respect to the holding tank 60. The replenishment container 70 is located above the holding tank 60 in the vertical direction dv. The holding tank 60 and the replenishing container 70 can be formed using various materials having resistance to the liquid material lm to be stored.

  Next, the first pipe 81 and the second pipe 82 will be described. The first tube 81 and the second tube 82 are cylindrical members that are open at both ends. Therefore, the first pipe 81 and the second pipe 82 can form a fluid flow path. The 1st pipe | tube 81 and the 2nd pipe | tube 82 can be formed using the various material which has the tolerance with respect to the liquid material lm, for example. The first tube 81 has an upper end 81 a that opens into the supply container 70. Further, the first tube 81 has a lower end 81 b that opens into the holding tank 60. The second tube 82 has an upper end 82 a that opens into the supply container 70. The upper end 82 a of the second pipe 82 is located below the upper end 81 a of the first pipe 81 in the vertical direction dv in the supply container 70. The lower end 82 b of the second pipe 82 is disposed at a position where the liquid material lm passing through the second pipe 82 can be introduced into the holding tank 60. Typically, as in the illustrated example, the lower end 82 b of the second pipe 82 is located in the holding tank 60.

  In the illustrated example, the first pipe 81 and the second pipe 82 are formed as members extending linearly, but are not limited to this example. If the above-described positional relationship between the upper ends 81a and 82a and the lower ends 81b and 82b is satisfied, the first tube 81 and the second tube 82 may be formed of, for example, rubber tubes and may be curved. However, in order to prevent the first pipe 81 or the second pipe 82 from being crushed and the flow path through the first pipe 81 or the second pipe 82 from being closed, the first pipe 81 and the second pipe are prevented. 82 preferably has some degree of rigidity.

  In the illustrated example, the liquid surface height ls2 of the liquid material lm held in the supply container 70 is lower than the upper end 81a of the first pipe 81 and higher than the upper end 82a of the second pipe 82. It has become. As a result, the inside of the second tube 82 can be filled with the liquid material lm. Further, the lower end 82 b of the second pipe 82 is located below the lower end 81 b of the first pipe 81. The lower end 82b of the second pipe 82 is positioned below the liquid level height ls1 of the liquid material lm held in the holding tank 60.

  In addition to the above-described components, the liquid material supply device 40 shown in FIG. 5 includes a housing 50 that houses the holding tank 60, and a pressure control means 45 that adjusts the pressure in the housing 50. ing. That is, the pressure control unit 45 maintains a constant pressure in the housing 50 that is an installation environment of the holding tank 60 that supplies the liquid material lm to the inkjet nozzle 30.

  As a specific configuration, the pressure control means 45 has a gas supply / discharge means 46 and a supply / discharge pipe 47 provided between the gas supply / discharge means 46 and the housing 50. The gas supply / exhaust means 46 is formed by a pump or the like, for example. Although depending on the height difference in the vertical direction dv between the liquid surface height ls1 of the liquid material lm held in the holding tank 60 and the discharge port 31 of the inkjet nozzle 30, from the viewpoint of stabilizing the meniscus, the holding tank 60 The installation environment is often maintained at a constant pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. In this case, a suction pump or a venturi pipe can be used as the gas supply / discharge means 46.

  On the other hand, the supply / discharge pipe 47 can be formed using various materials. However, the supply / exhaust pipe 47 needs to have such rigidity that the supply / exhaust pipe 47 is not crushed by the suction of the gas supply / exhaust means 46 to close the flow path.

  In the example shown in FIG. 5, the end portion 47 a on the housing 50 side of the supply / exhaust pipe 47 is located outside the holding tank 60. According to such an arrangement, even if the liquid material lm moves in the holding tank 60, the liquid material lm splashes into the supply / discharge pipe 47 and is sucked into the gas supply / discharge means 46. It can be effectively prevented. For the gas supply / discharge means 46 composed of a device such as a pump, for example, the suction of the liquid material lm may cause a failure. Also by dealing with this cause of failure, the supply operation of the liquid material lm by the liquid material supply device 40 can be effectively stabilized.

  Furthermore, in the example shown in FIG. 5, a lid body 65 that closes the upper opening 60 a of the holding tank 60 is provided. The lid 65 can also effectively prevent the splash of the liquid material lm from proceeding to the supply / discharge pipe 47. The lid body 65 is provided with a plurality of vent holes 66. When gas (for example, air) flows through the vent hole 66, the internal pressure of the holding tank 60 covered with the lid 65 is maintained the same as the pressure in the housing 50.

  Next, the operation when the liquid material lm is supplied to the inkjet nozzle 30 using the liquid material supply device 40 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference mainly to FIGS.

  First, when the liquid material lm is discharged from the ink jet nozzle 30, the pressure in the ink chamber 32 of the ink jet nozzle 30 decreases. As the pressure in the ink chamber 32 decreases, the liquid material lm held in the holding tank 60 of the liquid material supply device 40 flows through the supply pipe 35 and is supplied into the inkjet nozzle 30.

  In the liquid material supply device 40 described here, as will be described in detail later, the holding amount of the liquid material lm in the holding tank 60 is kept constant. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the liquid surface height ls <b> 1 of the liquid material lm held in the holding tank 60 is maintained at the same height as the lower end 81 b of the first pipe 81. Moreover, the installation environment of the holding tank 60 holding the liquid material lm is in the housing 50 maintained at a constant pressure by the pressure control means 45. Therefore, the liquid material lm having a substantially constant pressure can be stably supplied from the liquid material supply device 40 to the inkjet nozzle 30 without disturbing the meniscus formed at the discharge port 31 of the inkjet nozzle 30. Further, the flow of the liquid material lm from the liquid material supply device 40 to the inkjet nozzle 30 is not caused by a device such as a pressure feeding unit but is caused by gravity and pressure. Therefore, the liquid material lm can be rapidly supplied from the liquid material supply device 40 to the inkjet nozzle 30 without causing a supply delay of the liquid material lm due to the start of the device.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the liquid material lm flows from the liquid material supply device 40 to the inkjet nozzle 30, the amount of liquid material lm held in the holding tank 60 decreases. Accordingly, the liquid surface height ls1 of the liquid material lm in the holding tank 60 becomes lower than the position of the lower end 81b of the first pipe 81. That is, the lower end 81 b of the first pipe 81 is exposed from the liquid material lm stored in the holding tank 60.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the lower end 81b of the first pipe 81 is disposed in the gas environment (for example, in the air environment), the specific gravity of the gas is smaller than the specific gravity of the liquid material lm. Thus, the gas in the holding tank 60 flows into the supply container 70 through the first pipe 81. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the liquid material lm of the replenishing container 70 flows to the holding tank 60 through the second pipe 82 whose upper end 82 a is located in the liquid material lm stored in the replenishing container 70. That is, the liquid material lm is supplied from the supply container 70 to the holding tank 60 through the second pipe 82. As a result, the liquid level height ls2 of the liquid material lm in the replenishing container 70 decreases, and the liquid level height ls1 of the powder material pm in the holding tank 60 increases.

  The replenishment of the liquid material lm from the replenishing container 70 to the holding tank 60 is not caused by equipment such as a pressure feeding means but is caused by gravity. Accordingly, the liquid material lm can be quickly supplied from the supply container 70 to the holding tank 60 without causing a delay in supply of the liquid material lm due to the start of the device. Further, as compared with the case where the liquid material lm is replenished to the holding tank 60 using a device such as a pumping means, the liquid level of the liquid material lm in the holding tank 60 is disturbed by the replenishment of the liquid material lm due to gravity. Can be effectively suppressed. Thereby, it is possible to effectively prevent the meniscus formed at the discharge port 31 of the inkjet nozzle 30 from being disturbed.

  Furthermore, the lower end 82b of the second pipe 82 that delivers the liquid material lm to the holding tank 60 is immersed in the liquid material lm stored in the holding tank 60 in the illustrated example. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively prevent the occurrence of splashes caused by the liquid material lm delivered from the lower end 82b of the second pipe 82 colliding with the liquid surface of the liquid material lm stored in the holding tank 60. . Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the meniscus formed at the discharge port 31 of the inkjet nozzle 30 from being disturbed by the pressure fluctuation caused by the movement of the liquid surface of the liquid material lm stored in the holding tank 60. .

  Such replenishment of the liquid material lm is continued until the liquid surface height ls1 of the liquid material lm in the holding tank 60 reaches the upper end 82a of the first pipe 81. When the liquid surface height ls1 of the liquid material lm reaches the upper end 82a of the first pipe 81 in the holding tank 60, the inflow of gas to the supply container 70 through the first pipe 81 is stopped. Thereby, the outflow of the liquid material lm from the supply container 70 formed as a sealed container is stopped. That is, according to the illustrated example, the holding tank is operated without actively pumping the liquid material lm by operating a device such as a pump based on the detection result of the detection means such as the thermistor, float, or optical sensor. The liquid surface height ls <b> 1 of the liquid material lm in 60 can be maintained at a constant height, specifically, the position of the lower end 81 b of the first pipe 81.

  Thus, the position of the lower end 81b of the first tube 81 determines the liquid level height of the liquid material lm to be adjusted in the holding tank 60. That is, by adjusting the height of the lower end 81b of the first pipe 81, the liquid level height ls1 of the liquid material lm in the holding tank 60 can be controlled. In order to facilitate such control, in the example shown in FIG. 5, a holder 63 that holds the first pipe 81 is provided so that the position of the lower end 81b of the first pipe 81 can be adjusted in the vertical direction dv. It has been. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the holder 63 is included in the holding tank 60.

  When the liquid material lm in the replenishing container 70 decreases, for example, the liquid material lm is replenished into the replenishing container 70 through a replenishing port (not shown) that is normally sealed by a closing means. It will be. The liquid surface height ls2 of the liquid material lm in the replenishing container 70 after the replenishment enables the automatic adjustment function of the liquid surface height ls1 of the liquid material lm in the holding tank 60, so Lower than the upper end 81 a of the second pipe 82.

  In the embodiment described above, the liquid material supply device 40 holds the liquid material lm and is connected to the supply pipe 35, and is disposed above the holding tank 60 and holds the liquid material lm. The replenishment container 70 has a first pipe 81 and a second pipe 82 that transfer fluid between the holding tank 60 and the replenishment container 70. The first pipe 81 has an upper end 81 a that opens in the supply container 70 and a lower end 81 b that opens in the holding tank 60. The second pipe 82 has an upper end 82a opened in the replenishing container 70 at a position below the upper end 81a of the first pipe 81, and a lower end 82b for sending the liquid material lm in the replenishing container 70 into the holding tank 60. And have. According to the liquid material supply device 40, the liquid in the holding tank 60 can be used without using detection means such as a thermistor, float, optical sensor, etc. The liquid level ls1 of the material lm can be automatically and quickly adjusted mainly using gravity. As a result, the discharge of the liquid material lm from each discharge port 31 of the inkjet nozzle 30 is stable, and the three-dimensional structure O can be formed with a desired shape with high accuracy.

  Moreover, although a biocompatible molded article may be modeled as the three-dimensional molded article O, the produced biocompatible molded article is generally vulnerable to heat. Therefore, instead of sterilizing the obtained biocompatible shaped article, a biocompatible shaped article may be produced from the sterilized powder material pm and the liquid material lm using the sterilized three-dimensional modeling apparatus 10. It is being considered. The liquid material supply device 40 described here is excellent in that it can be easily sterilized by heating using an autoclave or the like, spraying medicine, or radiation because it does not include devices such as sensors and pumps.

  In the specific example of the embodiment described above, the lower end 82 b of the second pipe 82 is positioned below the lower end 81 b of the first pipe 81. According to this example, the lower end 82 b of the second pipe 82 can be located in the liquid material lm stored in the holding tank 60. In this case, when the liquid material lm is introduced into the holding tank 60 from the lower end 82b of the second pipe 82, it is possible to effectively prevent the liquid surface from undulating in the holding tank 60. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the meniscus formed at the discharge port 31 of the inkjet nozzle 30 from becoming unstable due to the dynamic pressure of the liquid material lm in the holding tank 60. Further, it is possible to effectively prevent the droplets of the liquid material lm stored in the holding tank 60 from being sucked by the pressure control means 45.

  Furthermore, in one specific example of the embodiment described above, the liquid material supply device 40 further includes a housing 50 that houses the holding tank 60 and a pressure control means 45 that controls the pressure in the housing 50. Have. The pressure control means 45 includes a gas supply / discharge means 46 and a supply / discharge pipe 47 provided between the gas supply / discharge means 46 and the housing 50. An end portion 47 a on the housing 50 side of the supply / discharge pipe 47 is located outside the holding tank 60. According to this example, even if the liquid material lm undulates in the holding tank 60, it is possible to effectively prevent the splash of the liquid material lm from entering the supply / discharge pipe 47. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the gas supply / discharge means 46 from malfunctioning by sucking the droplets of the liquid material lm.

  Furthermore, in one specific example of the embodiment described above, the three-dimensional modeling apparatus 10 includes the liquid material supply apparatus 40 described above. Since the operation of supplying the liquid material lm from the liquid material supply device 40 to the inkjet nozzle 30 is stable and rapid, the stable state of the meniscus formed at the discharge port 31 of the inkjet nozzle 30 can be maintained. By using this inkjet nozzle 30, the liquid material lm can be ejected with a desired pattern with high accuracy, and thereby a three-dimensional structure can be produced with high accuracy.

  Note that various modifications can be made to the specific examples described above. Hereinafter, an example of modification will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description and the drawings used in the following description, for parts that can be configured in the same manner as the specific examples described above, the same reference numerals as those used for the corresponding parts in the specific examples described above are used, and overlapping descriptions are given. Is omitted.

  In the specific example described above, the example in which the end portion 47a on the housing 50 side of the supply / exhaust pipe 47 is opened in the upper region in the housing 50 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this example.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the end portion 47 a on the housing 50 side of the supply / exhaust pipe 47 is located above the upper opening 60 a of the holding tank 60 in the vertical direction dv and directed upward in the vertical direction dv. You may make it open. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the supply / discharge pipe 47 extends downward in the vertical direction dv into the holding tank 60 in the end region on the side of the housing 50, and then reverses due to the curve and moves upward. It extends toward. In the supply / discharge pipe 47, even if the droplet of the liquid material lm enters the supply / discharge pipe 47, the splash can be supplemented to the curved portion. Thereby, damage to the gas supply / discharge means 46 due to the gas supply / discharge means 46 connected to the supply / discharge pipe 47 sucking the liquid material lm can be effectively prevented.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the end portion 47 a on the housing 50 side of the supply / exhaust pipe 47 is located below the upper opening 60 a of the holding tank 60 in the vertical direction dv, and further toward the lower side of the vertical direction dv. May be opened. Also in the example shown in FIG. 9, it is possible to effectively prevent the splash of the liquid material lm from entering the supply / discharge pipe 47.

  In the example shown in FIG. 10, a shielding member 55 is provided between the upper opening 60 a of the holding tank 60 and the end portion 47 a of the supply / exhaust pipe 47 on the housing 50 side. Since the shielding member 55 shields the splash of the liquid material lm, it is possible to effectively prevent the liquid material lm from entering the supply / discharge pipe 47.

  8 to 10, a lid 65 that at least partially closes the upper opening 60a of the holding tank 60 may be provided.

  Further, in the example shown in FIG. 11, a vent pipe 67 extending through the lid 65 is provided. The distal end portion 67a of the ventilation pipe 67 extends below the end portion 47a on the housing 50 side of the supply / exhaust tube 47 in the vertical direction dv and opens downward in the vertical direction dv. According to this example, it is possible to effectively prevent the splash of the liquid material lm from proceeding from the distal end portion 67a of the ventilation pipe 67 toward the supply / discharge pipe 47.

  In addition, although several modification examples have been described above, naturally, a plurality of modification examples can be appropriately combined.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 3D modeling apparatus 15 Control part 16 Recording medium 17 Keyboard 18 Display 20 3D modeling machine 25 Stage 26 Lifting means 27 Partition wall 28 Powder material supply apparatus 29 Recoater 30 Inkjet nozzle 31 Ejection port 32 Ink chamber 33 Internal channel 35 Supply pipe 40 Liquid material supply device 45 Pressure control means 46 Gas supply / exhaust means 47 Supply / exhaust pipe 47a End 50 Case 55 Shielding member 60 Holding tank 60a Upper opening 63 Holder 65 Cover body 66 Vent hole 67 Vent pipe 67a Tip 70 Replenishment Container 81 First pipe 81a Upper end 81b Lower end 82 Second pipe 82a Upper end 82b Lower end dv Vertical direction O Three-dimensional structure pm Powder material lm Liquid material ls1 Liquid surface height ls2 Liquid surface height P Inkjet printing apparatus

Claims (8)

A liquid material supply device for supplying a liquid material to an inkjet nozzle used in a three-dimensional modeling apparatus,
A holding tank for holding a liquid material supplied to the inkjet nozzle;
A replenishment container disposed above the holding tank and holding a liquid material to be replenished to the holding tank;
A first pipe having an upper end opened in the replenishing container and a lower end opened in the holding tank;
A second end having an upper end opened in the supply container at a position below the upper end of the first pipe, and a lower end for sending the liquid material transferred from the supply container into the holding layer; A liquid material supply device.   The liquid material supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the second pipe is positioned below the lower end of the first pipe.   The replenishing container holds the liquid material so that a liquid level of the liquid material is lower than the upper end of the first pipe and higher than the upper end of the second pipe. Item 3. The liquid material supply device according to Item 1 or 2.   The liquid material supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lower end of the first pipe is positioned at a liquid level of the liquid material to be adjusted in the holding tank.   When the liquid level height of the liquid material in the holding tank is lower than the liquid level height to be adjusted, the first pipe transfers gas to the replenishing container, and the second pipe The liquid material supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid material in a replenishing container is transferred to the holding tank. A housing for housing the holding tank;
Pressure control means for controlling the pressure in the housing, and
The pressure control means includes gas supply / discharge means, and a supply / discharge pipe provided between the gas supply / discharge means and the housing,
The liquid material supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein an end of the supply / discharge pipe on the housing side is located outside the holding tank. A liquid material supply device for supplying a liquid material to an inkjet nozzle used in a three-dimensional modeling apparatus,
A holding tank for holding a liquid material supplied to the inkjet nozzle;
A replenishment container disposed above the holding tank and holding a liquid material to be replenished to the holding tank;
When the liquid level of the liquid material in the holding tank is lower than the liquid level to be adjusted, the first pipe for transferring gas from the holding tank to the supply container and the supply container A liquid material supply device comprising: a second pipe for transferring the liquid material to a holding tank. The liquid material supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A three-dimensional modeling apparatus comprising: an inkjet nozzle that is supplied with the liquid material from the liquid material supply apparatus.

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