US Patent 7384255 Rapid prototyping system with controlled material feedstock

A deposition modeling system incorporates a drive mechanism to feed a strand of filament to create a model. The drive mechanism comprises a pivot block that is rotatably connected to a fixed block and a motor that rotates a drive shaft. A drive roller is connected to the drive shaft and an idler roller is connected to an idler axle that extends from the pivot block in a substantially perpendicular direction to the direction of rotation of the pivot block with respect to the fixed block and in a substantially parallel direction to the drive shaft.