EFS-Web
`
`CLAIMS
`
`What is claimed is:
`
`PATENTS
`
`MBOT-OO48-POl
`
`1.
`
`An extruder assembly comprising:
`
`an extruder comprising an input opening aligned to a feedpath for a filament of build
`
`material, a chamber shaped and sized to pass the build material along the feedpath, and an orifice
`
`to discharge the build material in an extrusion;
`
`a drive gear having a number of teeth positioned to engage the filament in the feedpath;
`
`a bearing positioned opposite the drive gear along the feedpath;
`
`a spring coupled to the bearing and biasing the bearing toward the drive gear with a
`
`spring force;
`
`a lever extending from the extruder assembly to manually move the bearing against the
`
`spring force away from the feedpath; and
`
`a locking mechanism to secure the lever in a position with the bearing moved away from
`
`and out of the feedpath.
`
`2.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 further comprising a motor coupled to the drive gear
`
`and operable to rotate the drive gear.
`
`3.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 wherein the bearing comprises a freely rotating contact
`
`surface.
`
`4.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 wherein an axis of the bearing is substantially parallel
`
`to an axis of the drive gear.
`
`5.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 4 wherein the lever moves the axis of the bearing away
`
`from the axis of the drive gear.
`
`6.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 further comprising a pivot for the lever, wherein the
`
`spring is coupled to the lever away from the pivot.
`
`Page 18 onl
`
`
`
`CLAIMS
`
`What is claimed is:
`
`PATENTS
`
`MBOT-OO48-POl
`
`1.
`
`An extruder assembly comprising:
`
`an extruder comprising an input opening aligned to a feedpath for a filament of build
`
`material, a chamber shaped and sized to pass the build material along the feedpath, and an orifice
`
`to discharge the build material in an extrusion;
`
`a drive gear having a number of teeth positioned to engage the filament in the feedpath;
`
`a bearing positioned opposite the drive gear along the feedpath;
`
`a spring coupled to the bearing and biasing the bearing toward the drive gear with a
`
`spring force;
`
`a lever extending from the extruder assembly to manually move the bearing against the
`
`spring force away from the feedpath; and
`
`a locking mechanism to secure the lever in a position with the bearing moved away from
`
`and out of the feedpath.
`
`2.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 further comprising a motor coupled to the drive gear
`
`and operable to rotate the drive gear.
`
`3.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 wherein the bearing comprises a freely rotating contact
`
`surface.
`
`4.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 wherein an axis of the bearing is substantially parallel
`
`to an axis of the drive gear.
`
`5.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 4 wherein the lever moves the axis of the bearing away
`
`from the axis of the drive gear.
`
`6.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 further comprising a pivot for the lever, wherein the
`
`spring is coupled to the lever away from the pivot.
`
`Page 18 onl
`
`
`
`EFS-Web
`
`PATENTS
`
`MBOT-OO48-POl
`
`7.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 wherein the locking mechanism includes a bistable
`
`lever including a mechanical linkage to the bearing, the bearing engaged with the drive gear
`
`when the bistable lever is in a first position and the bearing disengaged from the drive gear when
`
`the bistable lever is in a second position.
`
`8.
`
`9.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 wherein the spring is a coil spring.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 wherein the spring force provides sufficient force to
`
`engage the build material with the drive gear.
`
`10.
`
`The extruder of claim 1 wherein the spring force provides sufficient force to deform the
`
`build material into the number of teeth of the drive gear.
`
`11.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 10 wherein the build material includes a filament of one
`
`or more of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), high-density polyethylene (HDPL), and
`
`polylactic acid (PLA).
`
`12.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 wherein the spring maintains a substantially constant
`
`contact force of the bearing against a length of filament between the bearing and the drive gear in
`
`an absence of external forces.
`
`13.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 1 wherein the bearing is a low friction bearing.
`
`14.
`
`An extruder assembly comprising:
`
`an extruder comprising an input opening aligned to a feedpath for a filament of build
`
`material, a chamber shaped and sized to pass the build material along the feedpath, and an orifice
`
`to discharge the build material in an extrusion;
`
`a drive gear having a number of teeth positioned to engage the filament before the input
`
`opening in the feedpath;
`
`Page 19 of21
`
`
`
`EFS-Web
`
`PATENTS
`
`MBOT-OO48-POl
`
`a bearing positioned opposite the drive gear along the feedpath;
`
`a spring element coupled to the bearing and biasing the bearing toward the drive gear
`
`with a spring force;
`
`a manual control extending from the extruder assembly to manually move the bearing
`
`against the spring force away from the feedpath; and
`
`a locking mechanism to secure the manual control in a position with the bearing moved
`
`away from and out of the feedpath.
`
`15.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 14 wherein the manual control includes a lever.
`
`16.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 14 wherein the manual control includes one or more of a
`
`knob, a slider, a plunger, and a push button.
`
`17.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 14 wherein the spring element includes a coil spring.
`
`18.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 14 wherein the spring element includes a compression
`
`spring.
`
`19.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 14 further comprising a heating element to liquefy a
`
`length of build material in the chamber of the extruder.
`
`20.
`
`The extruder assembly of claim 14 wherein the locking mechanism includes a bistable
`
`lever including a mechanical linkage to the bearing, the bearing engaged with the drive gear
`
`when the bistable lever is in a first position and the bearing disengaged from the drive gear when
`
`the bistable lever is in a second position.
`
`Page 20 of 21
`
`
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