HEATING PLATFORM AND 3D PRINTING APPARATUS

• US 20150165687A1
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), Kinpo Electronics Incorporated (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), XYZprinting, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), Kinpo Electronics Incorporated (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), XYZprinting, Inc.
• Inventors: Ho, Kwan, Chang, Chih-Ming
• Granted Patent: US 9,688,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/023 Industrial applications
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/22 non-flexible

Abstract

A heating platform including a substrate, a heating plate, a conducting plate and a temperature sensing element is provided. The substrate has a first surface for forming a three dimensional (3D) object and an opposite second surface. The heating plate is attached to the second surface of the substrate to heat the substrate. The conducting plate is attached to the heating plate, and the heating plate is coved between the substrate and the conducting plate, wherein the area of the conducting plate is smaller than the area of the substrate, and an end of the conducting plate extends to the outer of the heating plate. The temperature sensing element is disposed at the end of the conducting plate extending to the outer of the heating plate to sense the temperature of the substrate through the conducting plate. A 3D printing apparatus including the heating platform aforementioned is also provided.

Claims

1. A heating platform, adapted to form a three dimensional (3D) object in a layer-by-layer manner by dispensing a thermal-plastic material, the heating platform comprising:

a substrate, having a first surface and a second surface which are opposite to each other, wherein the first surface is used to form the 3D object;

a heating plate, attached to the second surface of the substrate to heat the substrate;

a conducting plate, attached to the heating plate to make the heating plate to be coved between the second surface of the substrate and the conducting plate, wherein a surface area of the conducting plate is smaller than a surface area of the substrate, and an end of the conducting plate extends out of the heating plate; and

a temperature sensing element, disposed on the end of the conducting plate which extends out of the heating plate to sense a temperature of the substrate through the conducting plate.

2. The heating platform according to claim 1, wherein the heating plate is attached to the entire second surface of the substrate to heat the substrate.

3. The heating platform according to claim 1, wherein the substrate defines a primary region and a peripheral region adjacent to the primary region between the first surface and the second surface, the 3D object is formed on the primary region of the first surface, and an orthogonal projection of the conducting plate at least partially overlaps the primary region of the second surface.

4. The heating platform according to claim 3, wherein a temperature of the primary region is higher than a temperature of the peripheral region, and a temperature of the conducting plate is equal to the temperature of the primary region.

5. The heating platform according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the conducting plate is less than a thickness of the substrate.

6. The heating platform according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a glass substrate, and the conducting plate comprises a metallic plate.

7. A three dimensional (3D) printing apparatus, adapted to form a 3D object in a layer-by-layer manner by dispensing a thermal-plastic material, the 3D printing apparatus comprising:

a heating platform, comprising;

a substrate, having a first surface and a second surface which are opposite to each other, wherein the first surface is used to form the 3D object;

a heating plate, attached to the second surface of the substrate to heat the substrate;

a conducting plate, attached to the heating plate to make the heating plate to be coved between the second surface of the substrate and the conducting plate, wherein an surface area of the conducting plate is smaller than an surface area of the substrate, and an end of the conducting plate extends out of the heating plate; and

a temperature sensing element, disposed on the end of the conducting plate which extends out of the heating plate to sense a temperature of the substrate through the conducting plate; and

a printing unit, movably disposed above the first surface of the substrate to form the 3D object formed in the layer-by-layer manner by dispensing the thermal-plastic material on the first surface of the substrate.

8. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a control unit, electrically connected with the heating platform and the printing unit, wherein the printing unit is controlled by the control unit to form the 3D object on the first surface of the substrate, and the heating platform is controlled by the control unit to heat the 3D object during the forming process of the 3D object.

9. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is electrically connected with the temperature sensing element and the heating plate to adjust a heating parameter of the heating plate according to a sensing result of the temperature sensing element.

10. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the heating plate is attached to the entire second surface of the substrate to heat the substrate.

11. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the substrate defines a primary region and a peripheral region adjacent to the primary region between the first surface and the second surface, the 3D object is formed on the primary region of the first surface, and an orthogonal projection of the conducting plate at least partially overlaps the primary region of the second surface.

12. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a temperature of the primary region is higher than a temperature of the peripheral region, and a temperature of the conducting plate is equal to the temperature of the primary region.

13. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a thickness of the conducting plate is less than a thickness of the substrate.

14. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the substrate comprises a glass substrate, and the conducting plate comprises a metallic plate.