SUPPORT CLEANING SYSTEM

• US 20110186081A1
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Bryan L., Orrock, James E., Goetzke, Jerome W., Dunn, Benjamin N., McDonough, Thomas J., Mosher, Claudia, Shay, Randall R., Kozlak, David M., Swanson, William J., Skubic, Robert L., Zalusky, Martin G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,592,539 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/045 using perforated containers, e.g. baskets, or racks immersed and agitated in a liquid bath using perforated drums B08B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/08 the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect substances used, see the relevant classes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/102 with means for agitating the liquid by agitating the container B08B3/042, B08B3/044, B08B3/045, B08B3/06
• 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 40/20 Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing

Abstract

An automated support cleaning system comprising a tank disposed within a housing and configured to circulate an aqueous cleaning solution to remove a support structure from a three-dimensional model.

Claims

1. A support cleaning system comprising:

a housing;

a tank disposed within the housing and having an interior volume separated by porous barriers into a plurality of chambers, the plurality of chambers comprising;

a first chamber configured to receive a three-dimensional model with an attached support structure;

a second chamber configured to receive a support removal composition; and

a third chamber capped by a mounting plate;

a pump retained within the third chamber and configured to circulate an aqueous cleaning solution through the interior volume of the tank, the pump having rotary blades located in the third chamber and a shaft coupled to the blades and extending from the blades through the mounting plate;

a heating element operably secured to the tank and configured to heat the aqueous cleaning solution;

a drive motor disposed outside of the interior volume of the tank; and

an engagement mechanism engaged with the drive motor and with the pump shaft at locations outside of the interior volume of the tank, the engagement mechanism being configured to relay rotational power of the drive motor to the pump.

2. The support cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the pump is an impeller pump configured to intake aqueous cleaning solution from the third chamber and direct a high velocity flow of aqueous cleaning solution into the first chamber.

3. The support cleaning system of claim 1, and further comprising a fluid level sensor disposed at least partially within the third chamber and configured to detect a plurality of fluid levels in the tank.

4. The support cleaning system of claim 1, and further comprising a basket configured to be inserted into the first chamber for retaining the three-dimensional model.

5. The support cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a moveable lid configured to cover at least the first chamber of the tank.

6. The support cleaning system of claim 5, and further comprising:

a locking mechanism configured to lock the moveable lid to the housing while the lid is in a closed orientation.

7. The support cleaning system of claim 1, and further comprising:

a controller disposed at least partially within the housing;

a fluid inlet line configured to supply a carrier medium to the tank and having an inlet valve responsive to signals from the controller;

a fluid outlet line configured to withdraw aqueous cleaning solution from the tank and having an outlet valve responsive to signals from the controller;

wherein the controller is programmed to automatically fill and drain the tank in response to user selected input parameters.

8. The support cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the engagement mechanism comprises a pulley secured to the drive motor, a pulley secured to the shaft, a belt rotatably engaging both pulleys, and a sliding tensioner assembly coupled to the motor and configured to maintain a nearly constant tension in the belt.

9. A support cleaning system comprising:

a housing having a lid;

a controller disposed at least partially within the housing;

a user interface in signal communication with the controller;

a tank disposed within the housing and having an interior volume;

at least one porous barrier separating the interior volume of the tank into a plurality of chambers, the plurality of chambers comprising;

a reaction chamber accessible by opening the lid and configured to receive a three-dimensional model with an attached support structure; and

an agitation chamber capped by a mounting plate;

a pump retained in the agitation chamber, the pump having rotary blades located in the agitation chamber and a shaft coupled to the blades and extending from the blades through the mounting plate, and being configured to circulate an aqueous cleaning solution through the interior volume of the tank;

a drive motor disposed outside of the interior volume of the tank and in signal communication with the controller, the drive motor being configured to operate based on commands from the controller; and

an engagement mechanism disposed on the mounting plate and engaged with the pump shaft and the with the drive motor at locations outside of the interior volume of the tank, the engagement mechanism being configured to relay rotational power of the drive motor to the impeller.

10. The support cleaning system of claim 9 wherein the pump is an impeller pump, and further comprising a housing disposed around the blades, the housing having an inlet opening in the third chamber and an outlet opening configured to direct fluids into the first chamber.

11. The support cleaning system of claim 9, wherein the at least one porous barrier further separates the tank into a cleaning agent chamber configured to receive a support removal composition.

12. The support cleaning system of claim 11, wherein the cleaning agent chamber is accessible by opening the lid.

13. The support cleaning system of claim 9, and further comprising:

a fluid inlet line extending through at least one wall of the tank;

an first valve in signal communication with the controller and configured to regulate flow through the fluid inlet line based on commands from the controller;

a fluid outlet line extending through at least one wall of the tank;

a second valve in signal communication with the controller and configured to regulate flow through the fluid outlet line based on commands from the controller; and

a fluid level sensor disposed at least partially within the interior volume of the tank and in signal communication with the controller, the fluid level sensor being configured to detect a plurality of fluid levels in the tank, wherein the controller is configured to issue commands to the first and second valves based upon fluid levels detected by the fluid level sensor.

14. The support cleaning system of claim 9, and further comprising:

a heating element operably secured to the tank and in signal communication with the controller, the heating element being configured to operably heat fluids retained in the tank based on commands from the controller; and

at least one temperature sensor in signal communication with the controller and configured to monitor a temperature of a fluid retained in the tank.

15. The support cleaning system of claim 9, and further comprising:

a lid sensor in signal communication with the controller and configured to detect the presence of the lid while the lid is in a closed orientation; and

a latch mechanism in signal communication with the controller and configured to engage with the lid based on commands from the controller.

16. An automated method for removing a support structure from a three-dimensional model built with a fused deposition modeling system, the method comprising:

providing a support cleaning system having a tank that is separated into at least two chambers with at least one porous barrier and having a user interface for receiving user input;

inserting the three-dimensional model and the support structure into a first chamber of the at least two chambers;

introducing a support removal composition into the tank;

initiating an automated support removal operation in response to a user input, comprising the steps of;

introducing a carrier medium into the tank such that the carrier medium mixes with flows through the at least one porous barrier to fill the at least two chambers to a selected fill level;

at least partially dissolving the support removal composition in the carrier medium to form a cleaning solution;

heating the cleaning solution in the tank;

monitoring fluid levels in the tank to approximately maintain the selected fill level;

agitating the cleaning solution in a second chamber of the at least two chambers to create a flow of the cleaning solution through each chamber of the tank; and

at least partially dissolving the support structure in the first chamber with the flowing cleaning solution, and

draining the cleaning solution from the tank after at least partially dissolving the support structure.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the support removal composition is introduced into a third chamber of the tank.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the support removal composition comprises:

a perhydrate-based oxidizing agent;

a chelating agent; and

a material selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the automated support removal operation further comprises:

reintroducing a carrier medium into the tank after draining the tank;

rinsing the three-dimensional model with the carrier medium, and

draining the carrier medium from the tank.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the tank automatically drains upon detecting an error condition.