Alginate-based materials, methods of application thereof, and systems for using the alginate-based materials

• US 20050087902A1
• Filed: 10/28/2003
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Hovagimian, Howard, Lambright, Terry M., Farr, Isaac
• Application Number:
  US10/695,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20050087902A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/113
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/00 Producing shaped prefabricated articles from the material using presses B28B3/00; shaping on moving conveyors B28B5/00; producing tubular articles B28B21/00 ; producing articles with embedded elements B28B23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/001 Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/165 using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/06 Quartz; Sand
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/22 Glass ; Devitrified glass
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/30 Oxides other than silica ferrites C04B14/363
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/0048 Fibrous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/0079 Rheology influencing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/20 Retarders
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00181 Mixtures specially adapted for three-dimensional printing (3DP), stereo-lithography or prototyping
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 26/28 Polysaccharides or derivatives thereof

Abstract

Solid freeform fabrication (SFF) systems for producing a three-dimensional object and methods of producing three-dimensional objects are disclosed. The SFF system includes a dispensing system including an alginate-based material that includes an alginate-based powder and a binder. The dispensing system is adapted to dispense the alginate-based material.

Claims

1. A method of producing a structure, comprising the steps of:

providing an alginate-based powder;

providing at least one binder;

dispensing the alginate-based powder and the binder onto a build platform to form a layer of an alginate-based material; and

forming a flexible three-dimensional object from the alginate-based material on the build platform.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alginate-based powder includes at least one alginate compound and at least one component selected from at least one filler and at least one multivalent cation.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

dispensing the alginate-based powder and the binder onto the build platform independently, wherein the alginate-based powder and the binder on the build platform are commingled to form the layer of the alginate-based material.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein dispensing includes:

dispensing a layer of the alginate-based powder; and

dispensing a layer of the binder onto the layer of the alginate based powder thereby forming the layer of the alginate-based material.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein dispensing the alginate based powder and the binder is performed sequentially.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the binder includes a water retaining additive.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the alginate compound is selected from alginic acid and derivatives thereof, sodium alginate and derivatives thereof, potassium alginate and derivatives thereof, magnesium alginate and derivatives thereof, calcium alginate and derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the binder is an alginate swelling agent.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the alginate-based powder includes components selected from a retardant, a wetting agent, a viscosity modifier, a surface tension modifier, a colorant, water retaining additives, fibers, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the binder includes components selected from a retardant, a wetting agent, a viscosity modifier, a surface tension modifier, fibers, a colorant, water retaining additives, and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the alginate-based powder is from about 20% to 90% by weight of the alginate-based material and the binder is from about 10% to 80% by weight of the alginate-based material.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the alginate compound is from about 10% to 95% by weight of the alginate-based powder, the filler is from about 5 to 90% by weight of the alginate-based powder, and the multivalent cation is from about 0.01% to 50% by weight of the alginate-based powder.

13. A structure, comprising the flexible three-dimensional object produced by the method of claim 1.

14. A solid freeform fabrication system for producing a three-dimensional object, comprising:

a dispensing system including an alginate-based material that includes an alginate-based powder and a binder, wherein the dispensing system is adapted to dispense the alginate-based material.

15. The solid freeform fabrication system of claim 14, wherein the dispensing system includes at least one ink-jet printhead.

16. The solid freeform fabrication system of claim 14, wherein a first ink-jet printhead includes the binder.

17. The solid freeform fabrication system of claim 14, wherein a second ink-jet printhead comprises a slurry including the alginate-based powder.

18. The solid freeform fabrication system of claim 14, wherein the dispensing system includes a powder spreading system.

19. The solid freeform fabrication system of claim 14, further comprising:

a computer control system operative to control the dispensing system.

20. The solid freeform fabrication system of claim 14, further comprising:

a computer aided design system.