CARTRIDGE FOR A STEREOLITHOGRAPHIC MACHINE, STEROLITHOGRAPHIC MACHINE COMPRISING SAID CARTRIDGE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAID CARTRIDGE

• US 20150056320A1
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dws S.R.L.
• Original Assignee: Dws S.R.L.
• Inventors: Costabeber, Ettore Maurizio
• Granted Patent: US 9,555,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 425/169
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/124 using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/255 Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/259 Interchangeable
• 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 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/00 Closing containers or receptacles after filling
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/16 Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons

Abstract

A Cartridge (2; 2′; 2″) for a stereolithography machine (1), including a container (3) provided with an access opening (4), a reservoir (5) for containing a base material (6), liquid or pasty, suited to be solidified through exposure to a predefined radiation (7), said reservoir (5) being permanently associated with said container (3), feeding means (8) suited to feed said base material (6) from said reservoir (5) towards said container (3), characterized in that the bottom (9) of said container (3) is at least partially transparent to said predefined radiation (7) and is situated opposite said access opening (4).

Claims

1. A stereolithography machine (1), comprising:

cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

), the cartridge further comprising;

a container (3) provided with an access opening (4);

a reservoir (5) containing a base material (6), liquid or pasty, suited to be solidified through exposure to a predefined radiation (7), said reservoir (5) being permanently associated with said container (3);

feeding means (8) suited to feed said base material (6) from said reservoir (5) towards said container (3),

wherein the bottom (9) of said container (3) is at least partially transparent to said predefined radiation (7) and is situated opposite said access opening (4).

2. Cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

) according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir (5) further comprises means suited to insulate the base material (6) contained therein from the external environment.

3. Cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

) according to claim 1, wherein said feeding means (8) are configured so as to maintain the level of said base material (6) contained in said container (3) within a predefined interval.

4. Cartridge (2′

) according to claim 1, wherein said feeding means (8) further comprises valve means (19) suited to be controlled in such a way as to allow or prevent the outflow of said base material (6) from said reservoir (5) to said container (3).

5. Cartridge (2″

) according to claim 1, wherein said feeding means (8) further comprises a thrust device (18) suited to thrust said base material (6) towards said container (3).

6. Cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

) according to claim 1, further comprising detection means (10) suited to monitor the level of said base material (6) contained in said reservoir (5).

7. Cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

) according to claim 6, that wherein said detection means (10) are configured so as to emit an electrical signal that represents the level of said base material (6) contained in said reservoir (5), connection means (11) being provided which are suited to allow the transmission of said electrical signal to a device external to said cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

).

8. Cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

) according to claim 1, further comprising a door (12) movably associated with said access opening (4) in such a way as to assume at least one open position and at least one closed position for said access opening (4).

9. Cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

) according to claim 8, wherein said door (12) is motorized so as to spontaneously assume said closed position.

11. Cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

) according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir (5) has a volume included between 1 cm³ and 50 cm³.

12. Cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

) according to claim 1, wherein said transparent bottom (9) is configured in such a way that the energy, in the form of said predefined radiation (7), that is necessary to opacify it does not exceed 110% of the energy, in the form of said predefined radiation (7), that is necessary to solidify a volume of base material (6) equal to the volume of said reservoir (5).

13. Cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

) according to claim 1, wherein said predefined radiation (7) is suited to be emitted by emitting means (13) belonging to said stereolithography machine (1).

10. (canceled)

14. Method for manufacturing a cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

) further comprising;

providing a container (2;

2′

;

2″

) having a bottom (9) that is transparent to a predefined radiation (7) and a reservoir (5) permanently associated with said container (2;

2′

;

2″

);

filling said reservoir (5) with said a base material (6), liquid or pasty suited to be solidified through exposure to the predefined radiation through the transparent bottom (9); and

sealing said reservoir (5) and said container (3).

15. Stereolithography machine (1) comprising:

cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

) further comprising;

a container (3) provided with an access opening (4) and a bottom (9) that is transparent to a predefined radiation (7);

a reservoir (5) containing a base material (6), liquid or pasty, suited to be solidified through exposure to the predefined radiation (7), said reservoir (5) being permanently associated with said container (3);

feeding means (8) suited to feed said base material (6) from said reservoir (5) towards said container (3)

radiation emitting means (13) suited to emit the predefined radiation (7) through the transparent bottom (9);

a modelling platform (14) associated with power means suited to move said platform (14) along a movement trajectory (X) and

removable connection means (15), configured so as to house said cartridge (2;

2′

;

2″

) in an operating position such that said transparent bottom (9) is arranged along the trajectory of said predefined radiation (7) and that said access opening (4) is arranged along said movement trajectory (X) of said modelling platform (14).

16. Stereolithography machine (1) according to claim 15 which further comprises control means suited to be connected to said feeding means (8) in order to operate them in such a way as to control the outflow of said base material (6) toward said container (3).