CONICAL VISCOSITY PUMP WITH AXIALLY POSITIONABLE IMPELLER AND METHOD OF PRINTING A 3D PART

摘要

A pump assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system includes a viscosity pump having a first end and a second end wherein the first end has a cross sectional area greater than a cross sectional area of the second end. The viscosity pump has a conical shaped inner surface defining a pump chamber, an inlet proximate the first end and an outlet proximate the second end. The viscosity pump includes an impeller having an axis of rotation, where the impeller has a shaft positioned through the first end of the first housing and into the pump chamber. The impeller includes a distal tip-end at a distal end of the shaft wherein the impeller is configured to be axially displaced within the pump chamber of the viscosity pump parallel to the axis of rotation. An actuator is coupled to a proximal end of the impeller, wherein the actuator is configured to move the impeller parallel to the axis of rotation.

主权项

1. A pump assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, the pump assembly comprising:
a viscosity pump having a first end and a second end wherein the first end has a cross sectional area greater than a cross sectional area of the second end and a conical shaped inner surface extending therebetween and defining a pump chamber, an inlet proximate the first end and an outlet proximate the second end; an impeller having an axis of rotation, the impeller comprising a shaft positioned through the first end of the first housing and into the conical shaped chamber wherein the impeller comprises a distal tip-end at a distal end of the shaft wherein the impeller is configured to be axially displaced within the viscosity pump longitudinally parallel to the axis of rotation; an actuator coupled to a proximal end of the impeller, wherein the actuator is configured to move the impeller parallel to the axis of rotation.