TW201725108A - 3D printer filament detector - Google Patents

Abstract

A 3D printer detection module for detecting transmission state of a filament, which comprises a signal generation unit configured to response to the filament moving to generate a periodic signal, a detector configured to inspect a period of the periodic signal and response to the period to generate a detection signal. By inspecting the real feeding speed of the thermofusible material, the present invention is not only able to detect feeding conditions of the thermofusible material but also able the three-dimension printer to enter the fault resolving procedure in time or to match the slowed material extrusion speed to slow down heating nozzle operation velocity till the present operation is finished.

Description

Three-dimensional printing device wire detection module

The invention relates to a detecting module, in particular to a wire detecting module and method for a three-dimensional printing device.

Three-dimensional printing, also known as 3D printing, is mainly a process of continuously adding object materials, stacking object materials under computer control, and the printed 3D objects can have any shape and geometric features.

In recent years, many different three-dimensional printing methods have appeared and put into use. The main difference between different 3D printing technologies is the stacking method and materials used. Some techniques form an object shape by stacking melted or softened materials, such as selective laser melting techniques or direct metal laser sintering, selective laser sintering, and fused deposition modeling (also known as fuse fabrication). Among them, fused deposition molding technology and cost threshold are low, and there is no need to clean or remove residual materials, which has been widely promoted.

The general fused deposition molding technique uses a set of active rollers to feed a strip of hot melt material into a heating nozzle, which heats the hot melt material to a critical state, exhibiting a semi-fluid state, and the heating nozzle is controlled along a computer. The trajectory of the semi-fluid material is extruded and then solidified to form a contoured filling layer, which is stacked and bonded to form a 3D object.

However, in order to make the active roller roll to move the strip of hot-melt material to the heating nozzle smoothly, the current common solution is to install Teflon material before and after the active roller. The tubular device guides the material push, but there are still various factors that cause the material to be pushed unsmoothly, for example: the active roller slips due to sticky dust; the heating nozzle is unevenly heated or the hot melt material contains impurities causing the heating nozzle to clog; The hot melt material is staggered due to uneven alignment during active roller extraction.

In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a three-dimensional printing device wire detecting module which can not only detect the feeding condition of the strip-shaped hot-melt material, but also can detect the feeding of the hot-melt material. The true speed, timely entering the debug process or adjusting the speed of the heated nozzle with the current material extrusion speed that has been lowered to continue the operation.

The invention provides a three-dimensional printing device wire detecting module for detecting a conveying state of a wire, comprising: a signal generating unit configured to generate a periodic signal according to the wire movement; and a sensor, It is configured to detect one cycle of the periodic signal and respond to the cycle to generate a detection signal.

Preferably, a servo motor is further included, the servo motor being configured to drive a drive wheel to move the wire.

Preferably, the sensor further includes a photo-electrical sensor including a light projecting unit and a light-receiving unit; the signal generating unit includes a grating wheel, the grating wheel is located at the light-emitting unit and the The light receiving units are constructed and configured to generate the periodic signal in response to a signal from the light projecting unit.

Preferably, the sensor is configured to generate the detection signal in response to the periodic signal.

Preferably, the method further includes: a first auxiliary wheel, which is parallel and generates with respect to the signal And a first elastic body configured to press the first auxiliary wheel toward the signal generating unit such that the wire is in close contact with the signal generating unit and the first auxiliary wheel.

Preferably, the method further includes: a second auxiliary wheel parallel to and opposite to the driving wheel; and a second elastic body configured to press the second auxiliary wheel toward the driving wheel such that the wire is in close contact with the wire a drive wheel and the second auxiliary wheel.

In addition, the present invention provides a three-dimensional printing device wire detecting module for detecting a wire feeding state, comprising: a servo motor configured to rotate a driving wheel; and a passive wheel configured to contact by the The wire that is moved by the driving wheel is driven by the wire to rotate; a signal generating unit, the signal generating unit is coupled with the passive wheel, and the signal generating unit is configured to generate a periodic signal according to the rotation; The sensor is configured to detect a periodic change of the periodic signal and generate a detection signal; and a processor configured to generate a wire delivery status signal in response to the detection signal.

Preferably, the servo motor is controlled by the processor such that the driving wheel rotates at a first linear speed, the wire drives the passive wheel to rotate at a wire moving speed, and the processor compares the first line according to the detecting signal. The wire and the wire moving speed generate the wire conveying state signal.

Preferably, the conveying state comprises: when the first linear velocity is equal to the wire moving speed, the wire state signal is represented as a wire conveying normal state; when the first linear velocity and the wire moving speed are not zero and the The first line speed is greater than the wire moving speed, the wire state signal is represented as a wire conveying obstacle state; and when the first line speed is not zero and the wire moving speed is zero, the wire state signal is expressed as a wire exhausted status.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for detecting a wire of a three-dimensional printing device, comprising: Moving a wire at a predetermined speed; the wire has a moving speed at the predetermined speed; generating a periodic signal according to the moving speed; and determining a wire conveying state in response to a frequency of the periodic signal.

Preferably, when the frequency is gradually stopped, it is determined that the wire conveying state is a wire conveying obstacle state.

Preferably, when the frequency suddenly stops, it is judged that the wire conveyance state is a wire exhausted state.

Preferably, the moving speed is calculated based on the frequency and the moving speed is compared with the predetermined speed to determine the wire conveying state.

Preferably, when the predetermined speed is equal to the moving speed, the wire conveying state is a wire conveying normal state; when the predetermined speed and the moving speed are not zero and the predetermined speed is greater than the moving speed, the wire conveying state is a wire conveyance barrier state; and when the predetermined speed is not zero and the moving speed is zero, the wire conveyance state is a wire exhaustion state.

11‧‧‧Wire

12‧‧‧Signal generating unit

13‧‧‧ sensor

14‧‧‧Recurrent signals

15‧‧‧Detection signal

21‧‧‧Signal generating unit

22‧‧‧Grating wheel

23‧‧‧Light Inductance Detector

24‧‧‧Grating gap

31‧‧‧Projection unit

32‧‧‧Light-receiving unit

33‧‧‧Projecting light

41‧‧‧French wheel

42‧‧‧First auxiliary wheel

43‧‧‧Drawing Torsion Spring

51‧‧‧Compressed torsion spring

52‧‧‧Frame

61‧‧‧ drive wheel

62‧‧‧Servo motor

63‧‧‧Second auxiliary wheel

64‧‧‧Processor

S701~S713‧‧‧Steps

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the embodiments, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an embodiment of the present invention; a partial plan view of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a further preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 6 is a still further preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a flow chart of an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the present invention is directed to detecting the feeding condition of the strip-shaped hot-melt material, so that the signal generating unit 12 performs sensing detection on the conveying state of the wire 11 , and the signal generating unit 12 can be optically and electrically. Or mechanically converting the forward or backward transport speed of the wire 11 into a periodic signal 14, and receiving, detecting, and converting the periodic signal 14 by the sensor 13 into a detection signal 15 for subsequent processing. Through the subsequent processing of the detection signal 15, the conveyance state of the wire 11 can be finally known.

The signal generating unit 12 can operate in conjunction with the sensor 13 in a variety of different implementations, wherein the kinetic energy of the wire 11 is mechanically transmitted in a manner that is relatively stable and reliable in generating the periodic signal 14. Referring to FIG. 2, in an embodiment of the present invention, the signal generating unit 21 derives the kinetic energy of the wire 11 to rotate the grating wheel 22 having the plurality of grating gaps 24, and the grating wheel 22 rotates and the photodetector 23 In cooperation, the final photo-sensing device 23 sends a detection signal by electronic signal for subsequent processing.

In the above embodiment, the implementation of the periodic signal generated by the grating wheel 22 can be referred to the third drawing, that is, the top view of the cooperative portion of the grating wheel 22 and the photo-inductor 23 in FIG. 2, and the optical-inductor in FIG. 23 includes a light projecting unit 31 and a light receiving unit 32. When the wire 11 mechanically drives the grating wheel 22, the plurality of grating gaps 24 of the grating wheel 22 are equivalent to circular motion in space and alternately pass between the light projecting unit 31 and the light receiving unit 32, thereby causing projection of the light projecting unit 31. The ray 33 does not continuously pass through the grating wheel 22, so that the light receiving unit 32 receives the intermittent, flickering projection light 33, and the photodetector 23 further generates a detection signal based on the intermittent, flickering projection ray 33.

Since the grating gap 24 is equivalent to a circular motion in space, in this embodiment the flickering projected light 33 caused by the rotation of the grating wheel exhibits a periodic variation, which is a specific embodiment of the periodic signal. However, the photo-inductor 23 is not necessarily a projection photo-inductor, and the reflective photo-inductor can also implement the concept of the present invention. It is only necessary to replace the grating gap 24 on the grating wheel 22 with a plan view with good reflection performance. However, the circular motion of the plan view and the reflective photo-electrical sensor can still generate good periodic signals; in addition, the grating gap 24 can be replaced by the photodiode and the receiving photo-sensing device can fully implement the present invention. .

Although the above embodiments are all based on the photo-electrical sensor, the generating unit that is driven by the wire 11 to perform circular motion and can generate an electric field or a magnetic field can also replace the grating wheel 22, and only needs to be equipped with a sensor that replaces the electric field and the magnetic field.

Referring to FIG. 4, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the present embodiment shows a specific implementation of the signal generating unit 12. The signal generating unit 12 can be implemented by the passive wheel 41. When the wire 11 moves, the friction force will be immediately moved. The moving wheel 41 is coaxially rotated by the coaxial arrangement. Further, the driven wheel 41 and the grating wheel 22 are not necessarily disposed coaxially, and the interlocking between the two through the chain, the gear, the belt, or the like does not hinder the implementation of the present invention.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the first auxiliary wheel 42 and the first elastic body may be additionally provided. The first elastic body presses the first auxiliary wheel 42 and the driven wheel 41 to each other to generate sufficient friction between the passive wheel 41 and the wire 11. Prevent slipping. Referring to FIG. 4, the tension type torsion spring 43 is an embodiment of the first elastic body. Both ends of the tension type torsion spring 43 may surround the rotating shafts of the first auxiliary wheel 42 and the driven wheel 41 to achieve mutual compression. Close to the purpose. Further, a bearing may be disposed on the rotating shaft of the first auxiliary wheel 42 and the driven wheel 41 to friction between the lower first auxiliary wheel 42 and the driven wheel 41 and the tensile torsion spring 43.

Referring to Fig. 5, in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the compression type torsion spring 51 is an alternative embodiment of the first elastic body. In this embodiment, a frame 52 is additionally provided, which functions in addition to providing compression torque. The spring 51 has a fixed point and also ensures that the first auxiliary wheel 42 and the driven wheel 41 are in an optimal relative position by limiting the direction of movement of the first auxiliary wheel 42 and the rotating shaft of the driven wheel 41. As described above, one fixed end of the compression type torsion spring 51 is fixed to the frame 52, and the other fixed end is fixed to the rotating shaft of the first auxiliary wheel 42, and the first auxiliary wheel 42 is pushed toward the other end of the frame 52, that is, The end where the moving wheel 41 is located, thereby achieving the purpose of pressing and approaching the first auxiliary wheel 42 and the driven wheel 41 to each other.

Referring to FIG. 6, in still another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the driving wheel 61 of the driving wire 11 is further disclosed with the structure of the present invention, and the driving wheel 61 moves the wire 11 with friction force, in order to provide sufficient friction, A second auxiliary wheel 63 is added similarly to the previous embodiment. The power of the drive wheel 61 is from a servo motor 62 controlled by the processor 64. At the same time, the processor 64 also receives a detection signal from the photodetector 23, and the processor 64 controls the transmission to the servo motor 62 via comparison. The signal and the detection signal from the photodetector 23 can determine the current wire delivery state.

The sensor 13 receives and detects the periodic signal 14 (or the frequency signal of the reciprocal relationship), and combines the effective radius of the passive wheel 41 and the grating wheel 22 to generate a detection signal including the moving speed of the wire 11 and The detection signal with the speed information is sent to the processor 64; or the sensor 13 receives and detects the periodic signal 14, directly generates a detection signal including the rotation period/frequency of the grating wheel 22, and carries the cycle/frequency The detection signal of the information is sent to the processor 64, and the processor 64 determines the conveyance state of the wire 11 or calculates the moving speed of the wire 11. Both of the above solutions can finally get enough information from the processor 64 for the next stage of judgment.

One of the determination methods is to detect the periodic signal 14 (or frequency) by the sensor 13 The signal signal is directly judged as the conveying state of the wire 11, and since the driving wheel 61 rotates at a predetermined speed, the wire 11 will have the moving speed in the same direction. When the wire 11 is exhausted, the grating wheel 22 stops when it loses power. The signal 14 no longer changes, causing the period to approach infinity, and the frequency signal is instantaneously reset to zero or suddenly stopped, and the sensor 13 can send a detection signal to the processor 64 indicating that the wire is exhausted; and when the wire 11 When the conveying speed decreases due to the foregoing factors, the rotation speed of the grating wheel 22 decreases. At this time, the periodic signal 14 gradually slows down, the period increases, and the frequency signal gradually decreases, and the sensor 13 can be used to the processor. 64 sends a detection signal representing the state of the wire transport obstacle. The invention can also be implemented in an alternative manner: the sensor 13 directly transmits the frequency signal to the processor 64, and the processor 64 determines the change in the frequency signal.

In summary, the present invention discloses a method for detecting a wire conveyance state of a three-dimensional printing device. As shown in FIG. 7, in step S701, a wire is moved at a predetermined speed. In step S703, the wire has a moving speed in response to the predetermined speed. In step S705, a periodic signal is adapted to the moving speed. The generating, in step S707, a frequency signal is generated according to the periodic signal. In step S709, the frequency of the frequency signal is changed to determine the delivery state of the wire. In step S710, when the frequency continues to be stopped, the conveyance state of the wire is judged to be a wire exhaustion state. In step S711, when the frequency is gradually decreased, the conveyance state of the wire is judged to be a wire conveyance barrier state. In step S713, when the frequency is detected to be constant, the conveyance state of the wire is judged to be normal operation.

Another way of judging is to determine the moving speed of the wire 11 obtained/calculated by the processor 64. Since the effective radius of the driving wheel 61 is known, the rotational speed of the servo motor 62 controlled by the processor 64 is also It is to be understood that the first linear velocity caused by the drive wheel 61 to the wire 11 can also be controlled and calculated, and thus can also be referred to as a predetermined speed.

When the processor 64 controls the servo motor 62 such that the wire 11 should reach a predetermined speed, the processor 64 also receives the detection information to obtain the actual moving speed of the wire 11. When the predetermined speed is equal to the moving speed, the wire 11 is transported normally, in the normal state of wire feeding; when the predetermined speed and the moving speed are not zero, but the predetermined speed is greater than the moving speed, the phenomenon that the driving wheel 61 and the wire 11 slip occurs, The reason for this is not described here. At this time, the wire 11 is in a wire conveyance barrier state; and when the predetermined speed is not zero, but the moving speed is zero, it indicates that the wire 11 may have been used up, the drive wheel 61 is idling, and at this time, the wire is Depleted state.

When the driving wheel 61 and the wire 11 are slipped, the material extrusion speed is lowered, but the molten material is not necessarily completely exhausted, and the processor 64 can be readjusted according to the slow moving speed of the wire 11. The speed of movement of the nozzle is continued to continue the phased operation until the appropriate timing is completely interrupted.

The second auxiliary wheel 63 can also be provided with an auxiliary grating wheel and an auxiliary sensor connected to the processor 64 in a manner similar to the passive wheel 41. This configuration can exert an additional judging effect when the rare wire 11 is completely stuck, the wire 11 When the card is completely stuck, the speed of the auxiliary grating wheel is zero, but the driving wheel 61 may be forced to operate. When the processor 64 obtains the rotation speed of the auxiliary grating wheel and the driving wheel 61 still operates according to the predetermined speed, the driving wheel 61 and the wire are illustrated. 11 phenomena of severe slippage occur; conversely, if the wire 11 is indeed exhausted, the processor 64 will obtain the same auxiliary grating wheel linear velocity as the predetermined speed.

The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not limited to the embodiment of the present invention. The simple or equivalent changes of the disclosure of the patent application scope and patent specification of the present invention should still belong to the present invention. Coverage.

11‧‧‧Wire

22‧‧‧Grating wheel

23‧‧‧Light Inductance Detector

41‧‧‧French wheel

42‧‧‧First auxiliary wheel

61‧‧‧ drive wheel

62‧‧‧Servo motor

63‧‧‧Second auxiliary wheel

64‧‧‧Processor

Claims (10)

A three-dimensional printing device wire detecting module is configured to detect a conveying state of a wire, comprising: a signal generating unit configured to generate a periodic signal according to the wire movement; and a sensor configured to One cycle of the periodic signal is detected and corresponding to the cycle to generate a detection signal. The three-dimensional printing device wire detecting module according to claim 1, further comprising a servo motor configured to drive a driving wheel to move the wire. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor further comprises a photo-sensing device, the photo-electrical sensor comprises a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit; The unit includes a grating wheel disposed between the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit and configured to generate the periodic signal in response to a signal from the light projecting unit. The three-dimensional printing device wire detecting module according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to generate the detecting signal according to the periodic signal. The three-dimensional printing device wire detecting module according to claim 1, further comprising: a first auxiliary wheel parallel to and opposite to the signal generating unit; and a first elastic body configured to face the signal The generating unit presses the first auxiliary wheel such that the wire is in close contact with the signal generating unit and the first auxiliary wheel. The three-dimensional printing device wire detecting module according to claim 2, further comprising: a second auxiliary wheel parallel to and opposite to the driving wheel; and a second elastic body configured to face the driving wheel The second auxiliary wheel is pressed such that the wire is in close contact with the drive wheel and the second auxiliary wheel. A three-dimensional printing device wire detecting module for detecting a conveying state of a wire, comprising: a servo motor configured to rotate a driving wheel; and a passive wheel configured to contact the movement by the driving wheel The wire is driven by the wire to rotate; a signal generating unit, the signal generating unit is coupled with the passive wheel, and the signal generating unit is configured to generate a periodic signal according to the rotation; a sensor is Constructing to detect a periodic change of the periodic signal and generating a detection signal; and a processor configured to generate a wire delivery status signal in response to the detection signal. A method for detecting a wire conveyance state of a three-dimensional printing device, comprising: moving a wire at a predetermined speed; the wire has a moving speed according to the predetermined speed; generating a periodic signal according to the moving speed; and responding to the cycle The signal generates a frequency signal to determine the delivery status of the wire. The detecting method according to claim 8, wherein when the frequency is gradually decreased, the wire conveying state is judged to be a wire conveying obstacle state. The detecting method according to claim 8, wherein when the frequency is suddenly stopped, it is judged that the wire conveying state is a wire exhausted state.