COLOR OR MULTI-MATERIAL THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) PRINTING
First Claim
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1. A method for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
- (a) providing at least two material cartridges that are in fluid communication with a mixer that is in fluid communication with a nozzle of a print head, wherein each material cartridge contains a building material;
(b) using building materials from said at least two material cartridges to generate a first mixture in said mixer;
(c) directing said first mixture from said mixer through said nozzle towards a support to form a first layer of said first mixture adjacent to said support, wherein said first layer is part of said three-dimensional object;
(d) using building materials from said at least two material cartridges to generate a second mixture in said mixer; and
(e) directing said second mixture from said mixer through said nozzle towards said support to form a second layer of said second mixture as part of said three-dimensional object, wherein at least a portion of said second layer is adjacent to at least a portion of said first layer.
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Abstract
A three-dimensional (3D) continuous color printer includes one or more cartridges each with a building material stored therein, a mixer coupled to each cartridge, and a single printhead coupled to a mixer output, wherein the building material stored in the cartridge is transported to the mixer and the single print head to form a continuous color object.
8 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
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(a) providing at least two material cartridges that are in fluid communication with a mixer that is in fluid communication with a nozzle of a print head, wherein each material cartridge contains a building material; (b) using building materials from said at least two material cartridges to generate a first mixture in said mixer; (c) directing said first mixture from said mixer through said nozzle towards a support to form a first layer of said first mixture adjacent to said support, wherein said first layer is part of said three-dimensional object; (d) using building materials from said at least two material cartridges to generate a second mixture in said mixer; and (e) directing said second mixture from said mixer through said nozzle towards said support to form a second layer of said second mixture as part of said three-dimensional object, wherein at least a portion of said second layer is adjacent to at least a portion of said first layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for three-dimensional printing, comprising:
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a print head comprising a nozzle; at least two material cartridges that are in fluid communication with a mixer that is in fluid communication with said nozzle of said print head, wherein each material cartridge contains a building material; and a computer operatively coupled to said at least two material cartridges, wherein said computer (i) directs said building materials from said at least two material cartridges to generate a first mixture in said mixer;
(ii) directs said first mixture from said mixer through said nozzle towards a support to form a first layer of said first mixture adjacent to said support, wherein said first layer is part of said three-dimensional object;
(iii) directs building materials from said at least two material cartridges to generate a second mixture in said mixer; and
(iv) directs said second mixture from said mixer through said nozzle towards said support to form a second layer of said second mixture as part of said three-dimensional object, wherein at least a portion of said second layer is adjacent to at least a portion of said first layer. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification