Fusible water-soluble films for fabricating three-dimensional objects

• US 20050266110A1
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Darrel H. Cummings, Laura Kramer, Melissa D. Boyd
• Original Assignee: Darrel H. Cummings, Laura Kramer, Melissa D. Boyd
• Inventors: Kramer, Laura, Boyd, Melissa D., Cummings, Darrel H.
• Application Number:
  US11/201,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20050266110A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 425/174.400
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/141 using only solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/147 using sheet material, e.g. laminated object manufacturing [LOM] or laminating sheet material precut to local cross sections of the 3D object
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/18 Manufacture of films or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/26 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

A material for use in fabricating three-dimensional objects includes a mixture of thermoplastic particles and a water-soluble polymer matrix formed as a film that is fusible into a non-water soluble state when exposed to heating. The film further includes a surfactant system bound to the thermoplastic particles, the surfactant system providing an inversion property such that the thermoplastic particles are hydrophilic but, upon a fusing of the film, become hydrophobic as the surfactant become incorporated into the bulk.

Claims

1-63. -63. (canceled)

64. An apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object, the apparatus including:

a printer with a heating device configured to sequentially fuse layers of media together into a three-dimensional object by applying an amount of heating determined in consideration of a glass transition temperature of the media.

65. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 64, wherein the printer is configured to print the layers of media with colorant(s) before the layers of media are fused together.

66. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 64, wherein the glass transition temperature is about 30°

C.-150°

C.

67. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 64, wherein the printer includes a build bin configured to support and reposition the fused layer(s) relative to the heating device between the fusing of each layer.

68. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 67, wherein the printer is configured to draw the layers of media from a roll and to sequentially position the layers over the build bin.

69. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 64, wherein the heating device includes a thermal print bar.

70. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 69, wherein the thermal print bar is at least as wide as the layers of media.

71. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 64, wherein the heating device includes thin film heating elements.

72. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 64, wherein the heating device includes a scanning thermal head.

73. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 64, wherein the heating device includes a laser.

74. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 64, wherein the heating device is a non-laser heating device.

75. An apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object, the apparatus including:

means for identifying a type of media and for sequentially fusing layers of the media together into a three-dimensional object by applying an amount of heating determined in consideration of a characteristic of the type of media; and

a build bin configured to support the fused layer(s) during fabrication of the three-dimensional object.

76. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 75, further including:

a printer configured to print the layers of media with colorant(s) before the s layers of media are fused together.

77. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 75, wherein the characteristic is a glass transition temperature of fusible particles in the media.

78. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 75, wherein the characteristic is a ratio of fusible particles to water-soluble materials in the media.

79. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 75, wherein the characteristic is a type of fusible particle in the media.

80. The apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object of claim 75, wherein the characteristic is a type of water-soluble material in the media.