Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.P.

Ismael Chanclon

Xavier Alonso

Marc Morros

Marc Nicolau

Ernesto Alejandro Jones Poppescou

Francesc Roure Pastor

Nicola Cofelice

Ferran Rafat Esquius

Jorge Castano

Andreu Oliver

Robert Beauchamp

Xavier Miguel

Angel Santos

Santiago Sarda

Mireia Aleu

Manuel Jimenez

Davinia Font

An additive manufacturing build material container comprises a reservoir to hold build material and a build material outlet structure.

Build material container

A build material management system for a 3D printing system is described in which a non-fused purged build material port is to output purged non-fused build material from a build material transportation system. An emptying of substantially all non-fused build material from at least a portion of the build material transportation system to the non-fused purged build material port in response to a received purge signal is controlled by processing circuitry of the build material management system.

Purging non-fused build material

There is provided a 3D printing build material container (). The container () comprises a reservoir () and a reinforcement structure (). The reservoir is to hold build material. The reinforcement structure is attached to the reservoir at at least one selected location. The reservoir and reinforcement structure are to permit reconfiguration of the container from a relatively flat configuration to an in-use configuration in which the reservoir is tillable with build material.

Build material containers

A build material container outlet structure () comprises: a connector () comprising an interface surface () and an adaptor to receive a nozzle structure () of an external aspiration system; and a retaining structure () to releasably hold the nozzle structure in an engagement position with the interface surface of the connector; wherein the retaining structure comprises one or more retaining elements (---) disposed in the connector to exert an attractive magnetic biasing force on the nozzle structure of the external aspiration system to releasably hold the nozzle structure in the engagement position with the interface surface of the connector.

Outlet structure

There is provided a 3D printing build material container (). The container comprises a collapsible reservoir, () a relatively rigid reinforcement structure (), a build material outlet structure () and a gas inlet structure (). The reservoir is to hold build material (). The reinforcement structure is to resist collapsing of at least one reinforced portion of the reservoir. The outlet structure is to allow build material to exit the reservoir. The inlet structure is to allow a gas to enter the reservoir.

A build material container outlet structure, and a build material nozzle structure is described. The build material container outlet structure comprises a connector to releasably connect to a nozzle structure of an external aspiration system. The outlet structure comprises an aspiration channel to aspire build material from a build material container to the nozzle structure of the external aspiration system. The outlet structure comprises a protrusion protruding from an inner wall of the aspiration channel, to extend into an end portion of a tube of the nozzle structure that is inserted into the aspiration channel and retain a valve element of the nozzle structure in an open configuration.

A build material management system for an additive manufacturing system is described in which a recovered build material tank () and a mixing tank () are provided. The recovered build material tank () comprises an outlet and a first build material filter () for separating a gas flow from a build material flow. The mixing tank () comprises a second build material filter (). The mixing tank () is connected to the recovered build material tank () via a RBMT-to-mixer conduit (). A controller () is provided to couple the second build material filter () to a reduced pressure interface to transport build material from the outlet of the recovered build material tank into the mixing tank () via the second build material filter (). The controller () controls coupling of the first build material filter () to the reduced pressure interface to transport build material from a build material source into the recovered build material tank (). A corresponding method is provided.

Build material management

There is provided a 3D printing build material container () comprising a reinforcement structure (), a collapsible reservoir () to hold build material, a build material outlet structure (), at least one first inlet structure (), and a second inlet structure (). The reinforcement structure encloses an airtight space and the reservoir is disposed within the reinforcement structure. The build material outlet () structure is to allow build material to exit the reservoir. The at least one first inlet structure () is to allow recycled build material to enter the reservoir and to selectively allow a gas to enter the reservoir. The second inlet structure () is to selectively allow a gas to enter a space between the reservoir and the reinforcement structure.

A build material container outlet structure () comprises: a connector () comprising an interface surface () and an adaptor to receive a nozzle structure () of an external aspiration system; a socket () recessed from the interface surface to receive a data interconnect structure () of the nozzle structure, the data interconnect structure comprising a data interface (); a data contact () disposed in the socket to engage with the data interface of the data interconnect structure when the nozzle structure is in an engagement position; and an activation structure () disposed on the interface surface to engage a switch element () in the nozzle structure of the external aspiration system when the nozzle structure is held in the engagement position.

An additive manufacturing material management station, comprising: a build material supply conduit () with a build material supply connector () to releasably connect between a management station body and a build material supply container to couple a flow of a fluid carrying a building material supply from within the supply container to the management station body; and a station data processor, wherein the supply connector comprises: a connector body; a suction nozzle () projecting from the connector body to form a mating fit with an outlet of a build material supply container in use; and a data communicator to provide data communication between the station data processor and a data memory chip () of the supply container ().

Additive manufacturing material management station

A 3D printing build material container outlet structure is described. The outlet structure comprises a valve element having an open configuration to enable a tube, when inserted in the outlet structure, to aspirate build material from the container; and a closed configuration to inhibit build material from exiting the container. The valve element changes from the closed configuration to the open configuration by at least one of: the tube being inserted in the outlet structure; and a vacuum force being applied to the outlet structure when the tube has been inserted in the outlet structure.

A build material container outlet structure comprises: a first connector portion to connect to a build material container; a second connector portion comprising an adaptor to receive a nozzle structure of an external aspiration system; and an aspiration channel to aspire build material from the build material container to the nozzle structure of the external aspiration system; wherein the first connector portion is rotatably connected to the second connector portion to align the adaptor in a predetermined orientation.

A container () for receiving a manufactured object () from a 3D printer is disclosed. A method for cooling and unpacking 3D printed objects using that container. () is also disclosed. The container has a wall forming the sides of the container, a top extending to the sides of the container, a connector () for connection to a vacuum source and a guillotine member (). The lower portion of the container has support members to slidably receive the guillotine member () to form a base of the container. The guillotine member is selectively configurable between an apertured configuration having a plurality of through holes () to allow passage of air and/or build material, and a closed configuration in which the through holes are closed so as to prevent build material from falling out of the container.

Container for 3D printed objects and method of cooling and unpacking a manufactured object from a 3D printer using that container

An additive manufacturing build material container () comprises a reservoir to hold build material and a build material outlet structure ().

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Sant Cugat del Valles, Spain

Ismael Chanclon