DEVICE, SPECIAL PAPER, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SHAPED ARTICLES

• US 20160311210A1
• Filed: 12/16/2014
• Published: 10/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voxeljet AG
• Original Assignee: Voxeljet AG
• Inventors: Gnther, Daniel, Ederer, Ingo
• Granted Patent: US 10,442,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/147 using sheet material, e.g. laminated object manufacturing [LOM] or laminating sheet material precut to local cross sections of the 3D object
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/12 on paper layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2317/12 Paper, e.g. cardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 29/005 next to another layer of paper or cardboard layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1292 selectively, e.g. in stripes, in patterns B32B37/0076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/18 involving the assembly of discrete sheets or panels only
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 41/00 Arrangements for controlling or monitoring lamination processes; Safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/14 applied in spaced arrangements, e.g. in stripes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 5/00 Special paper or cardboard not otherwise provided for duplicating or recording paper B41M

Abstract

The invention relates to a device, a special paper and a method for producing three-dimensional objects.

Claims

1. A device, which is suitable for producing a three-dimensional body from individual layers, comprising:

a. an apparatus for guiding and positioning a special paper;

b. a print device for printing on the special paper;

c. a finishing treatment unit and/or a calibration unit, and

d. a sensor system for obtaining, during production, position information in a series of special papers in a stack or a roll, wherein the position information may be used to correct the printed images and/or the position of these images.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the print device includes an ink-jet print unit, a laser print unit, or a dot matrix print unit.

16. The device of claim 2, wherein the device includes a temperature control unit.

3. A special paper, which is suitable for producing a three-dimensional body from individual layers, which includes the following properties:

a. an activatable tendency to bind with an adjacent layer of a special paper;

b. a variable tendency to be dissolved by printing with a medium;

c. a capacity of the special papers to bind to each other due to the activation in the areas defined by printing;

d. a solubility of the unbound special paper due to the action of a suitable solvent, heat and/or mechanical energy.

4. The special paper of claim 3, wherein the special paper includes a basic substance selected from the group consisting of a cellulose fiber, a plastic, a naturally occurring substance, a metal, a stone, a mineral, a ceramic, and any combination thereof.

5. The special paper of claim 4, wherein the special paper is in the form of a sheet or a roll;

and wherein

the binding capacity takes place due to variable microwave selectivity in the special paper;

or

the binding capacity takes place due to the presence or absence of a diffusible medium;

or

the binding capacity takes place due to the diffusion of a temperature-activatable substance.

6. A method for producing a three-dimensional body, comprising the steps of:

a. printing on the special paper of claim 3;

b. repeating the printing step until all sectional drawings of a three-dimensional body are present on the special paper in a given layer thickness of the special paper;

c. organizing all printed special papers obtained in step b.) into a suitable arrangement;

d. binding the special papers arranged in this manner;

e. removing the obtained three-dimensional body from unbound special paper.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that individual sheets, unseparated paper rolls, or perforated paper rolls are used as the special paper.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the printing takes place with the aid of an ink-jet printer, a dot matrix printer, or a laser printer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes a step of applying a water-containing substance to the special paper by the ink-jet printer, or applying a thermoplastic to the special paper by the printer, or

applying a highly viscous adhesive to the special paper by a ribbon of the dot matrix printer.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the binding action is triggered by thermal energy and/or by pressure.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the binding action is triggered by another substance.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the method includes removing an unbound portion of the special paper from the three-dimensional body by a dissolution process in a solvent, by a thermal process or mechanically.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the three-dimensional body is subjected to additional processing steps, including saturating or perfusing the three-dimensional body and/or an applying or introducing a substance for hardening the three-dimensional body.

14. A three-dimensional object formed from the special paper of claim 3.

15. A three-dimensional object produced by the method of claim 6.

17. The special paper of claim 4, wherein the special paper is formed of materials that are essentially non-toxic.

18. The special paper of claim 4, wherein the special paper includes a fluid or a powder which provides the binding capacity to the special paper.

19. The special paper of claim 4, wherein the binding capacity of the special paper is provided by a substance added to the special paper or by changing a property of the special paper;

and /or

wherein the activation of the binding capacity of the special paper takes place by a transferring of a fluid or a powder from an ink ribbon of a dot matrix printer, from an ink of an ink-jet printer or from a fixed powder of a laser printer or a laser copier.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of removing employs predetermined break points.