THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTING APPARATUS

• US 20130295215A1
• Filed: 10/30/2012
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Young Optics, Inc. (Coretronic Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Young Optics, Inc. (Coretronic Corporation)
• Inventors: Wu, Li-Han, Hsu, Hsin-Han
• Granted Patent: US 8,985,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 425/174.4
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor

Abstract

A three-dimensional printing apparatus is provided, including a container, a display, a control unit and an optical film. The container contains a photosensitive material. The display has a plurality of display units. Each of the display units is capable of emitting a light beam. The control unit is capable of controlling the display units. The optical film is capable of projecting the light beams emitted from the display units onto the photosensitive material, forming a plurality of projected patterns. An arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the projected patterns are substantially the same as an arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the display units.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional printing apparatus, comprising:

a container, containing a photosensitive material;

a display, having a plurality of display units, each of the display units being capable of emitting a light beam;

a control unit, connected to the display and controlling the display units of the display; and

an optical film, disposed between the display and the container and projecting the light beams emitted from the display units onto the photosensitive material to form a plurality of projected patterns, wherein an arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the projected patterns are substantially the same as an arranging sequence and an arranging direction of the display units.

2. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the container has a bottom, disposed between the display and the photosensitive material, and the bottom is a light-transparent bottom, the bottom of the container has an upper surface facing the photosensitive material.

3. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 2, wherein a distance between the display and the upper surface of the container is less than or equal to 3 cm.

4. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a work platform, dipped into the photosensitive material, capable of moving relatively with the container, wherein the work platform has a work surface;

wherein the work platform is controlled by the control unit, the control unit commands the display to display a first image during a first time and locates the work surface to a first location, the light beams emitted from the display units corresponding to the first image are projected onto a first layer of the photosensitive material between the work surface and the upper surface through the optical film, so as to cure the first layer of the photosensitive material to form a first cured layer, and the control unit commands the display to display a second image during a second time and locates the work surface to the second location, the light beams emitted from the display units corresponding to the second image are projected to a second layer of the photosensitive material between the first cured layer and the upper surface through the optical film, so as to cure the second layer of the photosensitive material to form a second cured layer.

5. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the work surface faces the bottom, the second cured layer is located between the first cured layer and the bottom, and the first location is located between the bottom and the second location.

6. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical film comprises a plurality of optical structures, and each of the optical structures is aligned with at least one of the display units.

7. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the optical structures is a lens, and each of the lenses is aligned with one of the display units.

8. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the optical structures is a cylindrical lens, and each of the cylindrical lenses is aligned with a row of the display units.

9. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 6, wherein an image of the display units is projected on the photosensitive material to form the projected patterns by the optical structures.

10. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the display units comprises at least a pixel.

11. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 10, wherein a size of each of the optical structures is an integer times a size of the pixel of the corresponding display unit.

12. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical film comprises a plurality of optical structures, and each of the display units is aligned with some of the optical structures.

13. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 12, wherein a size of each of the display units is an integer times a size of the corresponding optical structure.

14. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical film comprises a plurality of optical structures, and each of the optical structures is a pyramidal prism or a triangular-shaped prism.

15. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical film is a Fresnel lens, diffusing film or a privacy filter.

16. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light beams emitted from the display units are visible light.

17. The three-dimensional printing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical film may be a single layer film or a multilayer film.