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US-12623399-B2 - Portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids and method of forming 3D printer filament thereof

US12623399B2US 12623399 B2US12623399 B2US 12623399B2US-12623399-B2

Abstract

A portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids includes a chamber, a nozzle, a heating element and a pump. The chamber has a space configured to store raw materials. The nozzle is connected with the chamber. The nozzle has an opening communicated with the space. The heating element is disposed on the chamber and configured to heat up the raw materials in the space. The pump is connected with the chamber and configured to provide pressure to the space to extrude the heated raw materials out of the chamber through the opening in a form of filament.

Inventors

  • Henry Wai Chaing CHAN

Assignees

  • Henry Wai Chaing CHAN

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20230421

Claims (18)

  1. 1 . A portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids, comprising: a chamber having a space configured to store raw materials; a nozzle connected with the chamber, the nozzle having an opening communicated with the space; a heating element disposed on the chamber and configured to heat up the raw materials in the space; and a pump connected with the chamber and configured to provide pressure to the space to extrude the heated raw materials out of the chamber through the opening in a form of filament.
  2. 2 . The portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a hand pump.
  3. 3 . The portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids of claim 1 , wherein the chamber comprises: a first body connected with the nozzle, the heating element is disposed on the first body; a second body sealing the space together with the first body, the pump is connected with the second body; and a hinge connected between the first body and the second body.
  4. 4 . The portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids of claim 3 , wherein the chamber further comprises: a first locking portion comprising: a first hook; a first elastic element connected between the first hook and the first body; and a first conductive piece disposed on the first hook; and a second locking portion comprising: a second hook configured to snap with the first hook; a second elastic element connected between the second hook and the second body; and a second conductive piece disposed on the second hook and configured to contact with the first conductive piece when the second hook snaps with the first hook, the portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids further comprises: a controlling unit electrically connected with the first conductive piece, the second conductive piece and the heating element, the controlling unit is configured to control the heating element.
  5. 5 . The portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids of claim 4 , wherein the chamber further comprises: a thermal lock disposed on the first body and located in the space, the first locking portion is at least partially located between the thermal lock and the second locking portion, the thermal lock is configured to at least partially expand when the thermal lock reaches a predetermined temperature and press to secure the first hook to the second hook.
  6. 6 . The portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids of claim 4 , further comprising: a capacity sensor disposed at a level marker inside the first body and signally connected with the controlling unit, the capacity sensor being configured to provide a signal to the controlling unit when the raw materials exceed the level marker, wherein the controlling unit is restricted from turning on the heating element when receiving the signal.
  7. 7 . The portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids of claim 3 , further comprising: a temperature sensor disposed inside the first body and configured to detect a temperature in the chamber; and a temperature meter signally connected with the temperature sensor and configured to display a magnitude of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.
  8. 8 . The portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids of claim 3 , further comprising: a power supply connected with the heating element; a frame, the first body being mounted on the frame; a plurality of supporting legs respectively connected with the frame and configured to be positioned on a flat surface; and at least one emergency switch disposed at an end of one of the supporting legs away from the frame, the emergency switch being electrically connected between the power supply and the heating element, the emergency switch being configured to electrically disconnect the power supply and the heating element when the emergency switch is free from compression.
  9. 9 . The portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids of claim 8 , further comprising: a plurality of fans disposed on the frame, the nozzle being at least partially located between the first body and the fans, the fans surrounding a vicinity of the opening, the fans being signally connected to the controlling unit, the controlling unit being further configured to control the fans, the emergency switch being electrically connected between the power supply and the fans, the emergency switch being configured to electrically disconnect the power supply and the fans when the emergency switch is free from compression.
  10. 10 . The portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids of claim 3 , further comprising: a cooling device; and a heat-resistant exhaust hose connected between the cooling device and the first body.
  11. 11 . A method of forming 3D printer filament, comprising: putting ground raw materials into a chamber; closing the chamber; heating up to melt the ground raw materials; and manually increasing a pressure inside the chamber to extrude the melted ground raw materials out of the chamber through a nozzle to form a filament.
  12. 12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: cooling down the filament.
  13. 13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: delivering steam formed from heating the ground raw materials to a cooling device away from the chamber through a heat-resistant exhaust hose.
  14. 14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: displaying a magnitude of a temperature detected by a temperature sensor disposed inside the chamber.
  15. 15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: activating an emergency switch located at a bottom of the chamber to shut off a power supply configured for heating up the ground raw materials when the emergency switch is separated from a flat surface.
  16. 16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the chamber comprises: a first locking portion comprising: a first hook elastically connected to the first body; and a first conductive piece disposed on the first hook; and a second locking portion comprising: a second hook elastically connected to the second body and configured to snap with the first hook; and a second conductive piece disposed on the second hook and configured to contact with the first conductive piece when the second hook snaps with the first hook, closing the chamber comprises: snapping the first hook to the second hook, such that the first conductive piece and the second conductive piece contact with each other to form a complete electric circuit with a controlling unit, heating up the ground raw materials comprises: controlling by the controlling unit to heat up the ground raw materials after the complete electric circuit is formed.
  17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein heating up the ground raw materials further comprises: thermally expanding a thermal lock disposed inside the chamber, such that the thermal lock presses on the first locking portion to secure the snapping of the first locking portion to the second locking portion.
  18. 18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein putting the ground raw materials comprises: sending a signal to a controlling unit by a capacity sensor disposed at a level marker inside the chamber when the ground raw materials exceed the level marker; and restricting from heating the ground raw materials when the controlling unit receives the signal.

Description

BACKGROUND Technical Field The present disclosure relates to portable 3D printer filament extruders for kids. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to portable 3D printer filament extruders for kids which can form 3D printer filaments from ground raw materials. Description of Related Art In recent years, due to the advantage of formation of different structures in a precise and convenient manner, 3D printing has been widely applied in different aspects. Correspondingly, most of the machines or equipment involved in 3D printing are large and heavy. As the applications of 3D printing become more popular, there gradually appear toys of 3D printing for children in the market. When playing a toy of 3D printing, 3D printer filaments are constantly input into the toy in order to form different art works. Since 3D printer filaments are consumables, how to make the process of playing 3D printing become environmental friendly is undoubtedly an important issue which the industry highly concerns. For example, a portable device which can recycle the filament residues or unwanted art works would be greatly beneficial. SUMMARY A technical aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids, which can form 3D printer filaments from ground raw materials in a manual and safe way. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids includes a chamber, a nozzle, a heating element and a pump. The chamber has a space configured to store raw materials. The nozzle is connected with the chamber. The nozzle has an opening communicated with the space. The heating element is disposed on the chamber and configured to heat up the raw materials in the space. The pump is connected with the chamber and configured to provide pressure to the space to extrude the heated raw materials out of the chamber through the opening in a form of filament. In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the pump is a hand pump. In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the chamber includes a first body, a second body and a hinge. The first body is connected with the nozzle. The heating element is disposed on the first body. The second body seals the space together with the first body. The pump is connected with the second body. The hinge is connected between the first body and the second body. In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the chamber further includes a first locking portion and a second locking portion. The first locking portion includes a first hook, a first elastic element and a first conductive piece. The first elastic element is connected between the first hook and the first body. The first conductive piece is disposed on the first hook. The second locking portion includes a second hook, a second elastic element and a second conductive piece. The second hook is configured to snap with the first hook. The second elastic element is connected between the second hook and the second body. The second conductive piece is disposed on the second hook and configured to contact with the first conductive piece when the second hook snaps with the first hook. The portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids further includes a controlling unit. The controlling unit is electrically connected with the first conductive piece, the second conductive piece and the heating element. The controlling unit is configured to control the heating element. In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the chamber further includes a thermal lock. The thermal lock is disposed on the first body and located in the space. The first locking portion is at least partially located between the thermal lock and the second locking portion. The thermal lock is configured to at least partially expand when the thermal lock reaches a predetermined temperature and press to secure the first hook to the second hook. In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids further includes a capacity sensor. The capacity sensor is disposed at a level marker inside the first body and signally connected with the controlling unit. The capacity sensor is configured to provide a signal to the controlling unit when the raw materials exceed the level marker. The controlling unit is restricted from turning on the heating element when receiving the signal. In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids further includes a temperature sensor and a temperature meter. The temperature sensor is disposed inside the first body and configured to detect a temperature in the chamber. The temperature meter is signally connected with the temperature sensor and configured to display a magnitude of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the portable 3D printer filament extruder for kids further i