Patent ID: 11911953
Assignee: THERMWOOD CORPORATION
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 17:
18. An additive manufacturing device, the device comprising:
an applicator head including a nozzle opening configured to deposit a thermoplastic material on a horizontal worktable along a path that includes a curve;
a gantry supporting the applicator head; and
a roller connected to the applicator head via a support structure and configured to follow the path, including the curve, by changing a direction of the roller to follow the path, the roller being movable with the applicator head in a direction along the gantry,
wherein the roller has an axial length and includes a cylindrical center portion formed about a midpoint of the axial length of the roller, the cylindrical center portion configured to contact the thermoplastic material and cause the thermoplastic material to be compressed, while end portions on either side of the cylindrical center portion of the roller overlap a portion of the thermoplastic material without contacting the portion of the thermoplastic material, the end portions having reduced diameters on opposite sides of the center portion as compared to a diameter of the center portion.