Patent ID: 11931767
Assignee: DESKTOP METAL, INC.
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  Y | IPC B

Claim 13:
14. An apparatus of a three-dimensional binder jet printer for metering flow of a metal powder, the apparatus comprising:
a hopper including a plurality of walls defining an upstream opening, a downstream opening, and a flow path therebetween;
a roller positioned downstream of the downstream opening and spaced apart from the hopper so as to form a gap between the downstream opening and the roller, wherein, when the hopper contains the metal powder, a height of the gap is configured to facilitate flow and metering of the metal powder out of the downstream opening, underneath a first wall of the plurality of walls of the hopper, and directly onto the roller only when the roller is rotating; and
a tool configured to engage the roller.