Three-dimensional object forming apparatus and method for forming three-dimensional object

• US 20100247742A1
• Filed: 03/18/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microjet Technology Co Limited (Microjet Technology)
• Original Assignee: Microjet Technology Co Limited (Microjet Technology)
• Inventors: Huang, Ke Ming, Lin, Ching Sung, Chen, Chin Tsung, Shi, Kwo Yuan, Tung, Ya Ching
• Granted Patent: US 8,545,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/8
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 24/04 Impact or kinetic deposition of particles

Abstract

A three-dimensional object forming apparatus is provided, which at least comprises: a construction stage, a printing module, plural temporary storage tanks, plural powder supplying tanks, a construction tank, a printing quality inspection component for forming a pattern to determine whether the printing module is blocked or not, a maintenance device, and a dust-proof device.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional object forming apparatus, comprising:

a construction stage, including a loading platform;

a printing module, arranged and movable on the construction stage, and including at least one printing cartridge for spraying a liquid;

at least one temporary storage tank arranged on a side of the printing module, wherein the at least one temporary storage tank is used for receiving powder and performing a powder spreading process quantitatively and in section in bi-direction;

at least one powder supplying tank, arranged on a side of the construction stage to supply the powder;

a construction tank with a construction platform inside, wherein the construction tank is used for loading the powder dispensed from the temporary storage tank, and the printing module sprays the liquid on the powder dispensed from the temporary storage tank;

a printing quality inspection component, including a printing medium arranged on the loading platform of the construction stage, wherein the printing module forms a pattern on the printing medium, and the pattern is used to determine whether the printing module is blocked or not;

a maintenance device, including a cover component, and a scraping component, wherein the cover component and the scraping component are respectively arranged on the loading platform of the construction stage; and

a dust-proof device, including a dust-proof transmission portion structure, a dust-proof construction tank structure, a dust-proof maintenance device structure, a dust-proof working environment structure, a storage tank dust-proof structure, wherein the dust-proof device is used to prevent the pollution resulting from the powder circulating in the air during the powder spreading process and a printing process.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printing quality inspection component is a printing medium, and the printing medium is made of frosted glass.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an air recirculating and heating device, wherein the air recirculating and heating device comprises:

a heating device, generating hot air to accelerate the solidification of the powder with the liquid sprayed thereon; and

an air recirculation tunnel, which is used for absorbing the powder circulating in the air during the powder spreading process and a printing process, and leading the hot air discharge from the air recirculation tunnel to reduce the deterioration of the printing cartridge of the printing module.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a continuous liquid supply device, which provides the liquid to the at least one printing cartridge of the printing module, to perform the printing process on the powder.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a powder filtration device, which comprises:

a housing, a powder filtration unit, a recycle unit, and a suction unit, wherein the housing includes a suction inlet, the powder filtration unit is arranged inside the housing to divide the inner space of the housing into a first space and a second space, the suction inlet of the housing connects to the second space, the recycle unit is arranged inside the second space, the suction unit connects to the first space to make the first space in a negative pressure, the powder circulating in the air are attracted by the suction inlet and introduced into the second space, the powder filtration unit filters the powder attracted by the suction inlet, and the powder filtered out by the powder filtration unit are recycled to the recycle unit.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a set of first rollers and a set of second rollers are arranged inside the powder supplying tank, the first rollers agitate the powder inside the powder supplying tank, the second rollers quantitatively supply the powder into the temporary storage tank with an amount for spreading on the entire surface of the construction platform, the temporary storage tank moves with the printing module, and the temporary storage tank cooperates with the powder supplying tank to spread the powder quantitatively on the construction platform.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the temporary storage tank comprises plural openings arranged separately and horizontally, the temporary storage tank comprises a driving unit and a plate unit, the driving unit connects with the plate unit to eccentrically drive the plate unit moving horizontally, the plate unit comprises plural notches arranged separately and horizontally, and when the plate unit moves, the plural notches connect with the plural openings to spread the powder on the construction platform in section.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover component of the maintenance device comprises:

a protection cover, and at least one sealing unit arranged inside the protection cover, the cover component contacts and covers a printing head of the printing module when the printing cartridge is not activated;

the scraping component of the maintenance device comprises;

a rotatable body, driven wheels, and at least one wiper, one of the driven wheels drives the rotatable body rotating, and the at least one wiper is arranged on and moves with the rotatable body to clean the printing head of the printing module.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the maintenance device further comprises:

a dust-proof cover component for covering the scraping component when the scraping component is not activated, the dust-proof cover component comprises;

a body, a movable cap, and an elastic element with two ends, the body is sheathed in the movable cap, one end of the elastic element fixes to the body, the other end of the elastic element connects to the movable cap, the movable cap is pulled by the elastic element to shelter the cover component when the cover component is not activated, and the cover component is exposed to cover the printing head when the movable cap is pushed.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dust-proof transmission portion structure of the dust-proof device comprises:

a dust-proof plate unit and a telescopic dust-proof tube, the dust-proof plate unit wraps around a transmission portion, and the telescopic dust-proof tube is arranged extensibly on a track formed by the dust-proof plate unit to separate the powder from the transmission portion.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dust-proof construction tank structure of the dust-proof device comprises:

a falling-powder dust-proof portion, and a first suction unit, the falling-powder dust-proof portion wraps around the construction tank to collect the powder circulating in the air during the powder spreading process and a printing process, and the first suction unit accelerates and introduces the falling-powder dust-proof portion collecting the powder circulating in the air.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the dust-proof maintenance device structure comprises:

the dust-proof cover component and a dust-proof cleaning component, and the dust-proof cleaning component protects the scraping component when the scraping component is not activated.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of two relative sides of the printing module is installed with a plate unit, and the plate unit comprises a protrusion bar.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the dust-proof cleaning component comprises a cap and a restoring unit, the cap is pivoted on the scraping component of the maintenance device, the cap comprises a driven gear arranged to mesh with the driven wheels of the scraping component, the restoring unit hooks on the scraping component to control the cap rotating on the scraping component, the cap is pushed by the protrusion bar of the printing module to make the driven gear drive the driven wheels, and the driven wheels drive the wiper in an open state or in a closed state.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the cap of the dust-proof cleaning component comprises a route-leading unit, the route-leading unit comprises a declined plane and a pushing plane, the pushing plane pushes the protrusion bar of the plate unit, the cap is rotated by a thrust force of the plate unit to expose the scraping component to clean the printing head of the printing module.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein when the route-leading unit of the cap of the dust-proof cleaning component is not pushed by the protrusion bar of the plate unit, the restoring unit turns and pulls the cap rotating to shield the scraping component.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein when the protrusion bar of the plate unit moves along the declined plane of the route-leading unit, the protrusion bar does not push the cap and passes the cap to keep the cap shielded by the scraping component.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dust-proof working environment structure of the dust-proof device comprises:

a hole, a pipe, and a second suction unit, the hole is arranged on the construction stage, the pipe connects the hole and the second suction unit, the second suction unit generates a negative pressure to attract the powder circulating in the air.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dust-proof storage tank structure of the dust-proof device comprises:

a cap, an elastic element, and a declined structure arranged in the temporary storage tank, the cap is arranged over a notch of the temporary storage tank, the cap connects to the temporary storage tank through the elastic element, the cap moves left and right to close the notch of the temporary storage tank and prevent the powder in the temporary storage tank circulating in the air, and the declined structure introduces the powder falling into the temporary storage tank directly and prevents the powder circulating in the air.

20. A method for forming a three-dimensional object for manufacturing a 3D object, which is applied to a three-dimensional object forming apparatus comprising a construction platform, plural powder supplying tanks, a first temporary storage tank, a second temporary storage tank, and a printing module, wherein the method of the rapid prototyping comprises the following steps:

(a) providing powder from the powder supplying tank arranged on a first side of the construction platform into the first temporary storage tank;

(b) moving the printing module to a second side of the construction platform;

(c) spreading the powder inside the first temporary storage tank on the construction platform;

(d) providing powder from the powder supplying tank arranged on a second side of the construction platform into the second temporary storage tank;

(e) moving the printing module to the first side and spraying a liquid on the construction platform;

(f) spreading the powder inside the second temporary storage tank on the construction platform;

(g) providing powder from the powder supplying tank arranged on the first side of the construction platform into the first temporary storage tank;

(h) moving the printing module to the second side and spraying a liquid on the construction platform; and

(i) determining whether the process of manufacturing the 3D object is finished or not;

repeating the steps (c) to (h) when a determined result shows the process is unfinished; and

stopping the process when the determine result shows the process is finished, and raising the construction platform in a construction tank by a lift installation to obtain the 3D object.