US 12,377,459 B2
Multi-diameter wire feeder
Scott Kilcoyne, Cambridge, MA (US); Mateo Pena Doll, Burlington, MA (US); and Salvador Barriga, Burlington, MA (US)
Assigned to Relativity Space, Inc., Long Beach, CA (US)
Filed by Relativity Space, Inc., Long Beach, CA (US)
Filed on May 15, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/665,496.
Application 18/665,496 is a continuation of application No. 17/098,564, filed on Nov. 16, 2020.
Application 17/098,564 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2019/038052, filed on Jun. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/687,651, filed on Jun. 20, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0300010 A1, Sep. 12, 2024
Int. Cl. B22D 23/00 (2006.01); B23K 35/00 (2006.01); B23K 35/02 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01)
CPC B22D 23/003 (2013.01) [B23K 35/0205 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B23K 35/00 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for wire feeding, comprising:
a first wire source configured to hold a first wire;
a second wire source configured to hold a second wire;
a first driver roller comprising a groove configured to (i) accept at least a portion of the first wire and (ii) direct the at least the portion of the first wire towards a wire merger;
a second driver roller comprising a groove configured to (i) accept at least a portion of the second wire and (ii) direct the at least the portion of the second wire towards the wire merger;
wherein the wire merger comprises at least one entry orifice and an exit orifice, wherein the wire merger is configured to (i) receive the first wire from the first driver roller and the second wire from the second driver roller via the entry orifice and (ii) direct a selected wire from the first wire and the second wire towards the exit orifice to a guide; wherein the guide is configured to deposit the selected wire to a 3D printing system; wherein the wire merger further comprises a tubular channel, wherein the tubular channel is configured to rotate; and
a controller in communication with the first driver roller, the second driver roller, and the tubular channel; wherein the controller is configured to operate a first mode and a second mode,
wherein the first mode is configured to (i) direct a corresponding driver roller of the selected wire to direct the selected wire into the wire merger to the guide and (ii) direct a corresponding driver roller of an unselected wire to retract the unselected wire out of the wire merger towards its corresponding wire source,
wherein the second mode is configured to (i) direct the first driver roller and the second driver roller to direct the first wire and the second wire into the wire merger to the tubular channel and (ii) rotate the tubular channel such that the first wire and the second wire are twisted into a bundle.