US 11,865,778 B2
Apparatus, system and method for an additive manufacturing print head
William MacNeish, St. Petersburg, FL (US); and Erik Gjovik, St. Petersburg, FL (US)
Assigned to JABIL INC., St. Petersburg, FL (US)
Filed by JABIL INC., St. Petersburg, FL (US)
Filed on Feb. 15, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/176,078.
Application 17/176,078 is a continuation of application No. 16/902,872, filed on Jun. 16, 2020, granted, now 11,420,385.
Application 16/902,872 is a continuation of application No. 16/687,363, filed on Nov. 18, 2019, granted, now 10,919,223, issued on Feb. 16, 2021.
Application 16/687,363 is a continuation of application No. 15/723,856, filed on Oct. 3, 2017, granted, now 10,919,221, issued on Feb. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2021/0260823 A1, Aug. 26, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/386 (2017.01); B29C 64/118 (2017.01); B29C 64/227 (2017.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B29K 101/12 (2006.01); B33Y 50/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B29C 48/285 (2019.01); B29C 64/321 (2017.01); B29C 64/20 (2017.01); B29C 64/205 (2017.01); B29C 64/106 (2017.01); B29C 64/307 (2017.01); B29C 64/343 (2017.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B29C 48/05 (2019.01)
CPC B29C 64/209 (2017.08) [B29C 64/118 (2017.08); B29C 64/227 (2017.08); B29C 64/386 (2017.08); B29C 48/05 (2019.02); B29C 48/2886 (2019.02); B29C 64/106 (2017.08); B29C 64/20 (2017.08); B29C 64/205 (2017.08); B29C 64/307 (2017.08); B29C 64/321 (2017.08); B29C 64/343 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B29K 2101/12 (2013.01); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An additive manufacturing printhead for extruding filament into successive layers, comprising:
a nozzle having an elongated body with first and second longitudinal ends, and an interior chamber extending between the first and second longitudinal ends, wherein the filament is fed through the chamber for heating and eventual extrusion from the second longitudinal end;
a rotating first hob and a second hob forming a filament feed channel there between that feeds the filament into the interior chamber of the nozzle from the first longitudinal end;
a first plurality of teeth peripherally extending from the first hob to engage the filament in the filament feed channel; a cam coupled to a hob arm proximate to a first opposing end of the hob arm, and the second hob being coupled to the hob arm proximate to a second end of the hob arm; and
at least one adjustable threaded force element coupled to the cam and capable of receiving an adjustable biasing force that causes movement of the second hob relative to the first hob, thereby adjusting a force applied to the filament in the filament feed channel by the first and second hobs.