| CPC B29C 64/209 (2017.08) [B29C 64/112 (2017.08); B29C 64/25 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B41J 2/14201 (2013.01); B29C 64/165 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B41J 2002/14362 (2013.01); B41J 2002/14491 (2013.01); B41J 2202/05 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A material ejection system comprising:
a housing;
a plate provided in the housing and dividing the housing in an upper space and a lower space, wherein the lower space is configured to hold a material for ejection, and wherein at least one heating element is provided to heat the material and/or to control a temperature of the material;
a controller unit;
one or more material ejection units each comprising:
a membrane formed by two essentially parallel slits in the plate,
a first electrode provided above the membrane in the upper space,
a piezoelectric element provided on the first electrode,
a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric element, wherein the first and second electrodes are each electrically connected to the controller unit for providing a voltage to the piezoelectric element, and an extension member provided underneath the membrane extending into the lower space; and
the material ejection system further comprising:
a nozzle plate provided at a bottom end of the housing and comprising one or more nozzle openings formed at positions corresponding to a respective lower portion of a respective extension member and provided at a predetermined distance from said lower portion in the lower space,
wherein a lateral contraction and expansion of the piezoelectric element, against the membrane, causes an orthogonal movement in relation to connecting surfaces of the piezoelectric element and the membrane, and
wherein the extension member is configured to transfer the movement of the membrane into the material, and motion of the lower end portion in the material causes an ejection of a portion of the material through the nozzle opening by a downward impulse.
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9. A print head comprising one or more of material ejection systems, wherein at least one material ejection system of the one or more material ejection systems comprises:
a housing;
a plate provided in the housing and dividing the housing in an upper space and a lower space, wherein the lower space is configured to hold a material for ejection, and wherein at least one heating element is provided to heat the material and/or to control a temperature of the material;
a controller unit;
one or more material ejection units each comprising:
a membrane formed by two essentially parallel slits in the plate,
a first electrode provided above the membrane in the upper space,
a piezoelectric element provided on the first electrode,
a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric element, wherein the first and second electrodes are each electrically connected to the controller unit for providing a voltage to the piezoelectric element, and an extension member provided underneath the membrane extending into the lower space; and
the material ejection system further comprising:
a nozzle plate provided at a bottom end of the housing and comprising one or more nozzle openings formed at positions corresponding to a respective lower portion of a respective extension member and provided at a predetermined distance from said lower portion in the lower space,
wherein a lateral contraction and expansion of the piezoelectric element, against the membrane, causes an orthogonal movement in relation to connecting surfaces of the piezoelectric element and the membrane, and
wherein the extension member is configured to transfer the movement of the membrane into the material, and motion of the lower end portion in the material causes an ejection of a portion of the material through the nozzle opening by a downward impulse.
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15. A 3D printer comprising one or more print heads, wherein at least one print head of the one or more print heads comprises one or more material ejection systems, and wherein at least one material ejection system of the one or more material ejection systems comprises:
a housing;
a plate provided in the housing and dividing the housing in an upper space and a lower space, wherein the lower space is configured to hold a material for ejection, and wherein at least one heating element is provided to heat the material and/or to control a temperature of the material;
a controller unit;
one or more material ejection units each comprising:
a membrane formed by two essentially parallel slits in the plate,
a first electrode provided above the membrane in the upper space,
a piezoelectric element provided on the first electrode,
a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric element, wherein the first and second electrodes are each electrically connected to the controller unit for providing a voltage to the piezoelectric element, and
an extension member provided underneath the membrane extending into the lower space; and
the material ejection system further comprising:
a nozzle plate provided at a bottom end of the housing and comprising one or more nozzle openings formed at positions corresponding to a respective lower portion of a respective extension member and provided at a predetermined distance from said lower portion in the lower space,
wherein a lateral contraction and expansion of the piezoelectric element, against the membrane, causes an orthogonal movement in relation to connecting surfaces of the piezoelectric element and the membrane, and
wherein the extension member is configured to transfer the movement of the membrane into the material, and motion of the lower end portion in the material causes an ejection of a portion of the material through the nozzle opening by a downward impulse.
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