METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECT, THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECT, AND PRINT MEDIUM

• US 20070146734A1
• Filed: 12/27/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: NAKAJIMA, KAZUHIRO, NAKAZAWA, KOICHIRO, TANIUCHI, HIROSHI, MOURI, AKIHIRO
• Granted Patent: US 7,924,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• 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

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object which method is able to easily manufacture a three-dimensional object using a low-cost apparatus. The present invention thus manufactures a three-dimensional object containing a three-dimensional image by printing a two-dimensional image on print media each having at least an ink receiving layer and a bonding layer, on the basis of an ink jet scheme, and stacking the print media on which the two-dimensional image is printed so that the print media are bonded together via the bonding layers.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:

a printing step of printing an image on print media each having at least an ink receiving layer and a bonding layer by ejecting ink from an ink jet head to the ink receiving layer; and

a stacking step of sequentially stacking the print media on which the image is printed so that the print media are bonded together via the bonding layers.

2. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to claim 1, wherein the stacking step includes a step of stacking the print media so that the bonding layer of one print medium on which the image is printed abuts against the ink receiving layer of another print medium on which the image is printed.

3. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to claim 1, wherein the print medium has at least a releasing layer as well as the ink receiving layer and the bonding layer, and

the method further comprises a releasing step of releasing the releasing layer from each of the print media on which the image is printed, the releasing step being executed after the printing step and before the stacking step.

4. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to claim 1, wherein the stacking step includes a step of stacking the print media so that the print medium on which the image is printed is bonded via the bonding layer to the print medium on which the image is not printed.

5. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to claim 1, wherein the print medium is transparent.

6. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to claim 1, further comprising a removing step of removing that part of each of the print media stacked in the stacking step in which the image is not printed.

7. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to claim 1, wherein the printing step executes printing on the ink receiving layer of the print medium on the basis of a plurality of two-dimensional image data obtained by slicing three-dimensional image data expressing a three-dimensional object to be manufactured, along a fixed two-dimensional direction.

8. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to claim 1, further comprising a step of increasing the transparency of sides of a three-dimensional object manufactured by stacking the print media on which the image is printed.

9. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to claim 1, wherein the printing step prints the image on division media into which the same print medium has been divided, and

the stacking step sequentially stacks the division media on which the image is printed.

10. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to claim 1, wherein the print medium has a plurality of chips each including at least the ink receiving layer and the bonding layer,

the printing step prints the image on the chips, and

the stacking step stacks the chips on which the image is printed.

11. The method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to claim 10, further comprising a step of increasing the transparency of sides of a three-dimensional object manufactured by stacking the chips on which the image is printed.

13. A three-dimensional object manufactured by the manufacturing method according to claim 1.

12. A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:

a printing step of printing an image on print media each having at least an ink receiving layer by ejecting ink from an ink jet head to the ink receiving layer, the ink receiving layer becoming adhesive on contact with ink; and

a stacking step of sequentially stacking the print media on which the image is printed so that the print media are bonded together via the ink receiving layers having adhesive.

14. A print medium used in manufacturing a three-dimensional object, the print medium comprising a plurality of chips arranged on the same plane, the chips each including at least an ink receiving layer and a bonding layer and being stacked by being bonded together via the bonding layers.

15. An apparatus that manufactures a three-dimensional object, the apparatus comprising:

an ink jet head that ejects ink onto ink receiving layers of print media each having the ink receiving layer and a bonding layer; and

a stacking section that sequentially the print media so that the print media are bonded together via the bonding layers.

16. A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:

an ejecting step of ejecting ink onto ink receiving layers of print media each having at least the ink receiving layer, the ink receiving layer becoming adhesive on contact with ink; and

a stacking step of sequentially stacking the print media so that the print media onto which the ink has been ejected are bonded together via the ink receiving layers having adhesive.