US 11,752,663 B2
Precision bead forming 3D print head for cementitious materials
Randall F. Lind, Loudon, TN (US); Brian K. Post, Knoxville, TN (US); Phillip Chesser, Knoxville, TN (US); and Celeste Atkins, Clinton, TN (US)
Assigned to UT-BATTELLE, LLC, Oak Ridge, TN (US)
Filed by UT-BATTELLE, LLC, Oak Ridge, TN (US)
Filed on Sep. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/39,292.
Prior Publication US 2022/0097255 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
Int. Cl. B28B 1/00 (2006.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/321 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B29C 64/241 (2017.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01)
CPC B28B 1/001 (2013.01) [B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B29C 64/241 (2017.08); B29C 64/321 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A print head for additive manufacturing with a material, comprising:
an accumulator comprising an elongated body with an open interior and an inside diameter; a slide tube slidably mounted within the open interior of the elongated body, the elongated body having a distal material outlet, the slide tube comprising a conduit for directing the material from a slide tube material inlet to a slide tube material outlet at an open end of the slide tube, the slide tube comprising a sealing piston head having an axial passageway defining the open end, the piston head forming a sliding hermetic seal between the sliding tube and the elongated body, the slide tube having an outside diameter that is less than the inside diameter of the elongated body, the slide tube, elongated body and sealing piston head defining a gas containment space and the sealing piston head and elongated body distally defining an accumulator space between the piston head and the distal material outlet of the elongated body, a gas conduit system for receiving pressurized gas and directing the pressurized gas to the gas containment space, and for exhausting pressurized gas from the gas containment space;
wherein the gas conduit system is configured such that pressurized gas in the gas containment space will apply pressure to the piston head, the piston head will apply pressure to the material in the accumulator space, and wherein the hermetic seal and the gas conduit system are configured to prevent the pressurized gas from entering the accumulator space and thereby the material, and the pressure applied by the piston head to the material will drive the material through the distal material outlet of the elongated body and material will flow through the axial passageway of the piston head;
a nozzle assembly comprising a rotatable shaping nozzle with a nozzle opening for discharging the material; and,
an extruder for moving the material from the accumulator to the nozzle assembly.