Preventing Leakage in 3D Printers with Advanced Techniques

A filament feed system for 3D printers to enable sealed filament pathways to prevent moisture absorption. The system uses detachable filament supplies with connector keys that plug into printer receptacles. The keys have different shapes to fit specific receptacles. They also have guide tubes to enclose the filament path from the supply to the printer. The keys seal the receptacles to prevent air/moisture ingress.

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A layer-by-layer additive manufacturing method for forming leak-tight objects. The method involves optimizing the bead deposition and layering to minimize defects that could cause leaks. This includes continuously depositing material between beads to seal transitions, staggering perimeters to offset seams, alternating shell counts to isolate defects, and maximizing bead contact between layers. These techniques improve sealing and reduce leaks in additively manufactured objects like pressurized containers.

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Unidirectional or bidirectional sand dispensing device for 3D printers that prevents sand leakage during printing. The device has a staggered discharge port designed using the principle of angle of repose of particulate materials. The port has upper and lower plates with an adjustable angle between them. When the printer stops, the angle is set so the sand doesn't slide. When the printer moves, the angle is set so the sand slides down to dispense. This prevents sand leakage without sudden discharge.

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A removable tray that captures and disposes of liquid purged from a printhead during maintenance or operation. The tray has a reservoir to hold the liquid and absorbent material to absorb it. The tray is placed in the print bed of the 3D printer so that liquid purged from the printhead is deposited in the reservoir. The tray is then removed and disposed of. This avoids storing the liquid in the system and reduces contamination.

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Preventing accidental discharge of powder from a butterfly valve-equipped container used in additive manufacturing by inserting a locking fitting onto the valve. This immobilizes the valve disc in the closed position to prevent unintended powder flow. The fitting is detachably secured to the valve housing. The fitting can be added or removed as needed to enable intentional powder flow.

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A method of detecting the liquid level of printing material in a three-dimensional printer tank to prevent too much or too little printing ink from being injected. The method involves providing a sensor and a liquid-level determination circuit. The sensor detects the liquid level of the printing material. The liquid level determination circuit uses the sensor output to determine if the printing material has been detected. If not detected, the printing material is continuously injected. If detected, the printing material injection is stopped.

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A sealing mechanism for preventing premature dispensing of a printing substance from a container until it is properly mated with another container. The mechanism uses sliding gaskets on the dispensing interface that only open the nozzle when it aligns with the receiving interface. This keeps the substance sealed inside until the openings align to prevent spills, contamination, and waste.

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Preparing high-performance fluidic devices like chromatography cassettes using 3D printing while avoiding bypass and leakage issues. It uses specific design and printing techniques to achieve integral structures with minimal bypass. These techniques include printing single-strand walls instead of multi-strand walls, loop-as-wipe connections to attach internal structures, and sealing techniques for impermeable plates.

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Monitoring the fluid resistance of the nozzle in a 3D printer to detect issues and prevent damage. The method involves feeding modeling material through the nozzle and measuring the pressure difference between the pressure inside and outside the feed channel. If the pressure difference is outside a predetermined range, it indicates a problem with the nozzle. The method can be used to trigger maintenance or replacement of the nozzle or printhead.

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Fluidic devices such as flow cells for biological research that enable precise liquid control. They have multi-layered structures with cavities to hold liquids. The layers have different absorption characteristics to allow sealing via directed laser radiation. A perimeter seal is formed between the layers around the cavity to prevent bubbles entering, and a field joint secures the rest of the layers. This prevents leaks and reduces bubbles compared to full laser welding.

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