Wire fusing apparatus

A wire fusing apparatus including a first body having a first surface, a second body having a second surface, and a heating unit is provided. The second body is pivoted to the first body to rotate relatively to the first body enabling the first and second bodies to be in an expanded or a closed state. When the first and second bodies are in the closed state, the first and second surfaces define a closed containing groove for containing two independent wires butt jointed with each other. The first surface, the second surface and the containing groove each has a heat-conducting region, and the heat-conducting regions contact each other when the first and second bodies are in the closed state. The heating unit disposed on the first or second body contacts one of the heat-conducting regions for heat-fusing a butt-jointing point of the wires to form a fused wire.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a fusing apparatus, and more particularly, to a wire fusing apparatus.

Description of Related Art

Along with advances in computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), the manufacturing industry has developed rapid prototyping (RP) technologies, thereby rapidly fabricating products from an original design concept. Three-dimensional printing is a kind of RP technology and is a technique of constructing a three-dimensional object by stacking construction materials in a fused state one by one based on a digital three-dimensional model. The method is so-called a fused deposition modeling (FDM) method. In the past, the method was often used in fields such as mold manufacturing and industrial design for manufacturing models. Nowadays, it is gradually applied to direct manufacture of some products. In high-value applications (e.g. hip joints or teeth, or some airplane parts) in particular, there have been parts made by printing using such technology, which implies popularization of the “three-dimensional printing” technique.

In a common situation where a current three-dimensional printer is employed, a solid state wire composed of construction materials is heated to render the construction materials in a fused state. The construction materials are then extruded from a print head of the three-dimensional printer. Accordingly, the fused construction materials are stacked layer by layer from bottom to top on a base of the three-dimensional printer, so as to form a three-dimensional object. However, in the three-dimensional printing process, when the wire of construction material is completely consumed, the printing task will be suspended or terminated and replacement with a new wire of construction material will be required for the printing task to resume or start over. Therefore, current three-dimensional printing equipments are still very inconvenient in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a wire fusing apparatus capable of fusing a wire with another wire to form a fused wire.

The wire fusing apparatus of the invention includes a first body and a second body. The first body has a first surface. The second body is pivoted to one side of the first body to rotate relatively to the first body which enables the second body to be in an away state or a closed state with the first body. The second body has a second surface. Accordingly, when the first body and the second body are in the closed state, the second surface and the first surface are closed and jointly define a containing groove for containing two independent wires butt-jointed with each other. The first surface, the second surface and the containing groove each has a heat-conducting region, and the heat-conducting regions contact each other when the first and second bodies are in the closed state. The heating unit is disposed on the first body or the second body, and contacts one of the heat-conducting regions to heat a butt-jointing point of the two wires, so as to form a fused wire by fusing the two wires.

Based on the above, the wire fusing apparatus of the invention includes the first body and the second body pivoted to each other at one side, so that the second body is adapted to rotate relatively to the first body to be in the away state and the closed state with the first body. The first body and the second body each includes a heat-conducting region adapted to be heated by the heating unit. In this way, the two wires to be fused are butt-jointed with each other and disposed in the containing groove of the first body. The second body is rotated relatively to the first body to form the closed state. Then, the butt-jointing point of the two wires is heated, so that the two wires are fused to form a fused wire. With such disposition, the wire fusing apparatus of the invention is applicable to any suitable occasion for performing a fusing process on any two wires needed to be fused.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

It is to be understood that both the foregoing and other detailed descriptions, features, and advantages are intended to be described more comprehensively by providing embodiments accompanied with drawings hereinafter. In the following embodiments, wordings used to indicate directions, such as “up,” “down,” “front,” “back,” “left,” and “right”, merely refer to directions in the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional wording is used to illustrate rather than limit the invention. Moreover, in the following embodiments, identical reference numerals indicate identical or similar elements.

FIG. 1is a schematic view of a wire fusing apparatus in an expanded state according to an embodiment of the invention.FIG. 2is a schematic view of the wire fusing apparatus inFIG. 1in a closed state. It is to be noted that in order to clarify the internal structure of a wire fusing apparatus100, a second body120inFIG. 2is illustrated in a perspective manner. Referring to bothFIG. 1andFIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the wire fusing apparatus100includes a first body110, the second body120and a heating unit160. The first body110has a first surface112and a first heat-conducting region114. The first body110exposes a heat-conducting surface of the first heat-conducting region114as shown inFIG. 1. The second body120is pivoted to one side of the first body110to rotate relatively to the first body110along a rotation direction D1, so that the second body120and the first body110form an away state as shown inFIG. 1, or a closed state as shown inFIG. 2. The second body120has a second surface122and a second heat-conducting region124as shown inFIG. 1. The second heat-conducting region124is disposed correspondingly to the first heat-conducting region114, and the second body120exposes a heat-conducting surface of the second heat-conducting region124. That is to say, the first surface112and the second surface122have the heat-conducting regions114and124respectively, so that when the second body120and the first body110are in the closed state as shown inFIG. 2, the heat-conducting regions114and124contact each other. Moreover, the first surface112and the second surface122each has a groove as shown inFIG. 1. The grooves pass through the heat-conducting regions114and124respectively, so as to jointly define a closed containing groove126when the first body110and the second body120are in the closed state as shown inFIG. 2. The containing groove126is configured to contain two independent wires12and14butt-jointed with each other, and to pass through the heat-conducting regions114and124. In the present embodiment, the heating unit160is disposed on the first body110or the second body120, and contacts one of the heat-conducting regions114and124. In the present embodiment, the heating unit160may be any heating element capable of converting electrical energy into heat energy in order to perform a heating process on one of the heat-conducting regions114and124, and the heat energy is transmitted to the other one of the heat-conducting regions114and124by the contact of the heat-conducting regions114and124.

FIG. 3is a schematic view of a fused wire formed by fusing two wires inFIG. 1. Referring toFIG. 1toFIG. 3together, in the present embodiment, the containing groove126crosses over the second surface122along a long axis of the second body120and passes through the second heat-conducting region124, so as to define a closed containing space S when the first body110and the second body120are in the closed state as shown inFIG. 2. The containing space S is adapted to contain the two independent wires12and14butt-jointed with each other as shown inFIG. 1. It is to be noted that the wires12and14inFIG. 1are two independent and separate wires having their ends merely touching each other without adhesion force exists therebetween. In this way, after the two independent and separate wires12and14are disposed in a butt joint manner in the containing groove126, the second body120is rotated toward the first body110, so that the first body110and the second body120are in the closed state as shown inFIG. 2, and the wires12and14are located in the closed containing space S. At this moment, the heating unit160performs a heating process on a butt-jointing point16of the wires12and14through the first heat-conducting region114and the second heat-conducting region124, so as to fuse the wires12and14to form a fused wire10as shown inFIG. 3.

In the present embodiment, the wires12and14are material supply wires of a three-dimensional (3-D) printer. Generally speaking, a material supply wire of a 3-D printer is a solid state wire composed of construction materials. Moreover, the material supply wire is heated by, for example, a heating unit, so as to cause the construction materials to be in a fused state and to be extruded from a print head of the 3-D printer. Then, the construction materials are stacked on a base of the 3-D printer layer by layer to form a 3-D object. One of the wires12and14is, for example, a material supply wire used by the 3-D printer at present, and the other one of the wires12and14is a new material supply wire for replacement. In the wire fusing apparatus100of the present embodiment, the above mentioned two material supply wires have two of their ends butt-jointed together, and then are disposed in the containing groove126. Then, the second body120is rotated toward the first body110to be in the closed state with the first body110as shown inFIG. 2. The butt-jointing point16of the two material supply wires is heated by means of the heating unit160and by thermal conduction of the first heat-conducting region114and the second heat-conducting region124. Thereby, the material supply wire in use and the new material supply wire for replacement are fused to form a continuous material supply wire for the 3-D printer to use. Of course, it is understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art that the present embodiment is only an example for illustration, and the invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the invention, the wires12and14may be any two wires needed to be fused, and are fused by the wire fusing apparatus100in the present embodiment to form a fused wire.

In the present embodiment, the wire fusing apparatus100further includes a heating control interface130as shown inFIG. 2. The heating control interface130is configured to be electrically connected to the heating unit160, so as to control the heating unit160to switch on and off the heating process and to make a temperature adjustment on the first heat-conducting region114and the second heat-conducting region124. For example, the heating control interface130is a press type switch. After the wires12and14are disposed in the butt joint manner in the containing groove126, the second body120is rotated toward the first body110by a user, so that the first body110and the second body120are in the closed state. At this moment, the user presses the heating switch130to control the heating unit160to start the heating process on the first heat-conducting region114and the second heat-conducting region124. As a result, the butt-jointing point16of the wires12and14is fused, and thus the wires12and14are fused to form the fused wire10. Of course, it is understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art that the present embodiment is only an example for illustration, and the invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the invention, the heating control interface130may be a push type switch or any other type of switch. As long as it is electrically connected to the heating unit160and is able to control the heating unit160to start and stop a heating process or to make a temperature adjustment on the heat-conducting regions114and124, it is within the scope of the invention.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the wire fusing apparatus100further includes a first heat-insulating element142and a second heat-insulating element144. As shown inFIG. 1, the first heat-insulating element142is disposed between the first surface112and the first heat-conducting region114located on the first surface112, and exposes a heat-conducting surface of the first heat-conducting region114facing the second surface122. As shown inFIG. 2, the second heat-insulating element144is disposed between the second surface122and the second heat-conducting region124located on the second surface122, and, as shown inFIG. 1, exposes a heat-conducting surface of the second heat-conducting region124facing the first surface112. That is to say, the heat-insulating elements142and144cover part of the heat-conducting regions114and124respectively, and are located between the heat-conducting regions114and124and the bodies110and120, thereby reducing damage to the bodies110and120caused by heat arising from the heat-conducting regions114and124.

FIG. 4is a schematic view of a wire fusing apparatus in an away state according to an embodiment of the invention.FIG. 5is a schematic side view of the wire fusing apparatus inFIG. 4in the away state. Referring toFIG. 4, in the present embodiment, the wire fusing apparatus100further includes a cutting member150disposed on the second surface122, as shown inFIG. 4. The wires12and14to be fused are adapted to be disposed on the first surface112individually before the heating process. With such disposition, the cutting member150cuts the wires12and14individually when the second body120rotates along the rotation direction D1 to the closed state, so as to form a cutting surface on each of the wires12and14. After that, the cutting surfaces of the wires12and14are contacted with each other to form the butt-jointing point16as shown inFIG. 1. It is to be noted thatFIG. 4andFIG. 5are schematic views only illustrating that the wire fusing apparatus100cuts the wire12. In this way, the cutting surfaces of the wires12and14match each other and are in complete contact with each other, thus increasing adhesion force between the wires12and14after fusing. In the present embodiment, as shown inFIG. 5, the second body120further includes a pivot end120afor being pivoted to the first body110, and a free end120bopposite to the pivot end120a. The cutting member150is disposed at the pivot end120a. In this way, as shown inFIG. 5, when the second body120rotates along the rotation direction D1 for cutting the wires12and14, since the cutting member150is disposed at the pivot end120afar away from the free end120b, a longer lever arm M1is provided to enable the user to easily cut the wires12and14by lever principle.

FIG. 6is a schematic view of the cutting member inFIG. 4.FIG. 7is a schematic view of a cutting member according to another embodiment of the invention. Referring toFIG. 4,FIG. 6andFIG. 7together, following the above, the cutting member150is a blade as shown inFIG. 6. A cutting side surface (i.e. one of two opposite side surfaces of the blade)152thereof is a planar surface. As shown inFIG. 6, a long axis of the cutting member150and a long axis of the containing groove126form an acute angle θ and are not perpendicular to each other. Accordingly, the cutting surfaces of the cut wires12and14are inclined planar surface, thus increasing a contact area between the wires12and14at the butt joint, and further increasing the adhesion force between the wires12and14after fusing. In addition, in the embodiment as shown inFIG. 7, the cutting side surface152of the cutting member150may be a non-planar surface. That is to say, the cutting side surface of the cutting member150is not a planar surface as shown inFIG. 6. More specifically, the cutting side surface of the cutting member150may be in wave shape or serrated shape as shown inFIG. 7. Accordingly, the cutting surfaces of the cut wires12and14are inclined surface in wave shape or serrated shape, thus increasing the adhesion force between the wires12and14after fusing.

FIG. 8is a schematic view of the wire fusing apparatus inFIG. 4in a closed state. Referring to bothFIG. 4andFIG. 8, in the present embodiment, the first body110further includes a recessed groove116disposed correspondingly to the cutting member150. When the first body110and the second body120are in the closed state, the cutting member150is located in the recessed groove116. In this way, when the second body120rotates along the rotation direction D1 as shown inFIG. 4, the cutting member150approaches the first body110along with the second body120, so as to cut the wires12and14. After cutting the wires12and14, the cutting member150is located in the recessed groove116so that the first body110and the second body120can be in a completely closed state. In addition, the cutting member150in the present embodiment is detachably disposed on the second surface122. In this way, after the wires12and14to be fused are cut by means of the cutting member150, the cutting member150can be removed from the wire fusing apparatus100. Then, the cutting surfaces of the cut wires12and14are disposed in a butt joint manner on the containing groove126, followed by rotating the second body120toward the first body110to form the closed state as shown inFIG. 8. By heating the butt-jointing point16where the cutting surfaces of the cut wires12and14contact each other through the first heat-conducting region114and the second heat-conducting region124, the wires12and14are fused to form, for example, the fused wire10as shown inFIG. 3.

In summary, the wire fusing apparatus of the invention includes the first body and the second body pivoted to each other at one side, so that the second body is adapted to rotate relatively to the first body to form the away state and the closed state, wherein the first body and the second body each includes a heat-conducting region adapted to be heated by the heating unit. In this way, the two wires to be fused are butt-jointed with each other and disposed in the containing groove of the first body. The second body is rotated relatively to the first body to be in the closed state with the first body. The butt-jointing point of the two wires is heated, so that the two wires are fused to form a fused wire.

The invention is applicable to fusing of a material supply wire of a three-dimensional printer, so as to fuse a material supply wire in use and a new material supply wire for replacement together. In this way, if it is found that a material supply wire is running out during a three-dimensional printing process, the wire fusing apparatus of the invention may be employed to fuse the material supply wire in use and the new material supply wire for replacement together to form a continuous material supply wire for subsequent use in the three-dimensional printer. Hence, there is no need to stop the printing process for replacement of the material supply wire or to start over the printing process after replacing the material supply wire. Of course, the invention is also applicable to any suitable occasion to perform a fusing process on any two wires needed to be fused. In addition, the wire fusing apparatus of the invention further includes a detachable cutting member configured to cut the wires to be fused before the fusing process is performed. Accordingly, contact surfaces of the two wires match and are in complete contact with each other, thus increasing the bonding force between the two wires after fusing.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the above embodiments, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that modifications to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention will be defined by the attached claims and not by the above detailed descriptions.