| CPC B29C 64/176 (2017.08) [B29C 64/106 (2017.08); B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B29C 64/241 (2017.08); B29C 64/295 (2017.08); B29C 64/321 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12)] | 16 Claims |
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1. A 3D printer for printing consumable items, the 3D printer comprising:
a print head arranged to position nozzles of a plurality of liquid dispensers to define a regular polygon around a first Z axis;
an actuator device operable to dispense a portion of liquid from each liquid dispenser;
a print bed comprising a print zone, the print zone comprising a plurality of print locations arranged to define a regular polygon around a second Z axis;
a translation device operable to move the print bed relative to the print head along X and Y axes;
a rotation device operable to cause relative rotation between the print zone and the print head such that, with the first Z axis aligned with the second Z axis, the actuator is operable to dispense liquid from each liquid dispenser onto each of the print locations and thereafter the rotation device is operable to cause relative rotation between the print zone and the print head to place each respective one of the print locations in registration with a different one of the nozzles; and
a controller configured to cause the 3D printer to produce a different one of multi-layered consumable items on each print location, at least in part by performing the following steps:
with the first Z axis aligned with the second Z axis, operate the actuator device to dispense, in a first dispensing, liquid simultaneously from each of the liquid dispensers onto each of the print locations, wherein each of the liquid dispensers dispenses onto a different one of the print locations;
operate the rotation device to cause relative rotation between the print zone and the print head and place each of the print locations in registration with a different one of the nozzles than during the first dispensing; and
operate the actuator device after the relative rotation to dispense, in a second dispensing, liquid from each of the liquid dispensers simultaneously onto each of the print locations, wherein each of the liquid dispensers dispenses onto a second one of the print locations different from a first one of the locations onto which each of the liquid dispensers dispensed during the first dispensing.
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15. The 3D printer of claim 1, wherein each of the consumable items comprises a liquid from a different liquid dispenser in each layer.
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16. A 3D printer for printing consumable items, the 3D printer comprising:
a print head arranged to position nozzles of a plurality of liquid dispensers to define a regular polygon around a first Z axis;
an actuator device operable to dispense a portion of liquid from each liquid dispenser wherein the actuator device comprises
a drive plate having a drive face with plurality of syringe plunger locations arranged in the regular polygon and a pair of parallel support rails defining a channel between them and having flanged sections spaced from the first support plate and extending towards one another, the plurality of syringe plunger locations being defined between the support rails,
first and second retention plates, each retention plate including a plurality of retention slots that extend into the retention plate from a first edge and have arcuate end faces which, when the first and second retention plates are inserted into opposite ends of the channel, with the syringe plungers located at the syringe plunger locations, overlap the syringe plungers to grasp the syringe plungers, and
one or more linear actuators coupled between the drive plate and the block to linearly move the drive plate towards the block to dispense liquid from the syringes;
a print bed comprising a print zone, the print zone comprising a plurality of print locations arranged to define a regular polygon around a second Z axis;
a translation device operable to move the print bed relative to the print head along X and Y axes; and
a rotation device operable to cause relative rotation between the print zone and the print head such that, with the first Z axis aligned with the second Z axis, the actuator is operable to dispense liquid from each liquid dispenser simultaneously onto each of the print locations and thereafter the rotation device is operable to cause relative rotation between the print zone and the print head to place each respective one of the print locations in registration with a different one of the nozzles.
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