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

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus of a three-dimensional binder jet printer for metering flow of a metal powder, the apparatus comprising:
a hopper having a plurality of walls defining a downstream opening;
a roller disposed downstream of the plurality of walls and spaced apart from the opening of the hopper by a predetermined distance so as to form an unobstructed gap between the opening and the roller, wherein, when the hopper contains the metal powder, the predetermined distance between the opening of the hopper and the roller is such that rotation of the roller is configured to facilitate flow and metering of the metal powder out of the opening and underneath a first wall of the plurality of walls of the hopper to dispense a metered amount of the metal powder onto a powder bed and ceasing rotation of the roller is configured to inhibit flow of the metal powder out of the opening and underneath the first wall; and
a leveler disposed between the rotatable device and the powder bed, the leveler being configured to move along a surface of the powder bed to follow the roller and to contact the dispensed metal powder.