US 11,945,160 B2
Method and apparatus for continuous composite three-dimensional printing
Kenneth Lyle Tyler, Coeur d'Alene, ID (US)
Assigned to Continuous Composites Inc., Coeur d'Alene, ID (US)
Filed by Continuous Composites Inc., Coeur d'Alene, ID (US)
Filed on Sep. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/481,147.
Application 15/268,156 is a division of application No. 13/975,300, filed on Aug. 24, 2013, granted, now 9,511,543, issued on Dec. 6, 2016.
Application 17/481,147 is a continuation of application No. 16/946,469, filed on Jun. 23, 2020.
Application 16/946,469 is a continuation of application No. 16/460,701, filed on Jul. 2, 2019, granted, now 10,744,708, issued on Aug. 18, 2020.
Application 16/460,701 is a continuation of application No. 16/401,541, filed on May 2, 2019, granted, now 10,744,707, issued on Aug. 18, 2020.
Application 16/401,541 is a continuation of application No. 15/268,156, filed on Sep. 16, 2016, granted, now 10,315,355, issued on Jun. 11, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/694,253, filed on Aug. 29, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2022/0001606 A1, Jan. 6, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B29C 64/165 (2017.01); B29B 15/12 (2006.01); B29C 35/08 (2006.01); B29C 64/106 (2017.01); B29C 64/118 (2017.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/386 (2017.01); B29C 70/06 (2006.01); B29C 70/38 (2006.01); B29K 105/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/08 (2006.01); B29K 105/12 (2006.01); B29K 105/16 (2006.01); B29K 307/04 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B33Y 70/10 (2020.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/165 (2017.08) [B29C 35/0805 (2013.01); B29C 64/106 (2017.08); B29C 64/118 (2017.08); B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B29C 64/386 (2017.08); B29C 70/06 (2013.01); B29C 70/384 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B33Y 70/10 (2020.01); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); B29B 15/122 (2013.01); B29C 2035/0827 (2013.01); B29K 2105/0058 (2013.01); B29K 2105/08 (2013.01); B29K 2105/12 (2013.01); B29K 2105/16 (2013.01); B29K 2307/04 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A continuous-composite printing apparatus for manufacturing an object, the apparatus comprising:
a platform;
a positioning system;
a providing device that provides a fiber strand pre-pregged with polymer;
a supply device that provides a supply of polymer;
a mount;
an extruder connected to the positioning system via the mount, the extruder including:
a head configured to receive the pre-pregged fiber strand; and
a dispensing port located at an outlet end of the head and configured to dispense the pre-pregged fiber strand onto at least one of the platform and the object;
a heater configured to heat the pre-pregged fiber strand within the extruder;
a computer system including a processor operatively coupled to the providing device, the positioning system, and the extruder, the computer system configured to:
store a location plan for the object, the location plan defining a plurality of paths for the extruder to follow when printing the object, a plurality of locations along the plurality of paths, and corresponding dispensing amounts for the plurality of locations;
control, based on the stored location plan, movement of at least one of the positioning system and the platform such that the extruder moves to the plurality of locations along the plurality of paths;
control, while the extruder moves to the plurality of locations along the plurality of paths, at least one of the extruder, the positioning system, and the platform to extrude the heated pre-pregged fiber strand through the dispensing port and onto at least one of the platform and the object, to form the object; and
control, while the extruder moves to the plurality of locations along the plurality of paths, at least one of the extruder, the positioning system, and the platform to extrude the heated pre-pregged fiber strand at the plurality of locations and in the corresponding dispensing amounts for the plurality of locations identified by the location plan, to form the object; and
a hardening device that hardens the extruded pre-pregged fiber strand to form the object,
wherein the location plan further includes cutting location points for the plurality of paths, and the computer system is further configured to control a cutter to cut the pre-pregged fiber strand at the cutting location points.