CARTRIDGE FOR A STEREOLITHOGRAPHIC MACHINE, STEREO-LITHOGRAPHIC MACHINE COMPRISING SAID CARTRIDGE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAID CARTRIDGE

• US 20170136710A1
• Filed: 12/02/2016
• Published: 05/18/2017
• 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 10,766,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 for a stereolithography machine, including a container provided with an access opening, a reservoir for containing a base material, liquid or pasty, suited to be solidified through exposure to a predefined radiation, said reservoir being permanently associated with said container, feeding means suited to feed said base material from said reservoir towards said container, characterized in that the bottom of said container is at least partially transparent to said predefined radiation and is situated opposite said access opening.

Claims

1. A stereolithography cartridge, comprising:

a container provided with an access opening;

a reservoir containing a base liquid or paste material, suited to be solidified through exposure to a predefined radiation, said reservoir

being permanently associated with said container to form a single body;

means for feeding incorporated into stereolithographic cartridge, the means for feeding suited to feed said base material from said reservoir towards said container,

wherein the bottom of said container is at least partially transparent to said predefined radiation and is situated opposite said access opening.

2. Cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir further comprises means for insulating the base material contained therein from the external environment.

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

4. Cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said means for feeding further comprises a valve controlled to allow or prevent the outflow of said base material from said reservoir to said container.

5. Cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said means for feeding further comprise. a thrust device suited to thrust said base material towards said container.

6. Cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a detector suited to monitor the level of said base material contained in said reservoir.

7. Cartridge according to claim 6, wherein said detector configured to emit an electrical signal that represents the level of said base material contained in said reservoir, and further comprising connection means to allow the transmission of said electrical signal to a device external to said cartridge.

8. Cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a door movably associated with said access opening in such a way as to assume at least one open position and at least one closed position for said access opening insulating the content of the cartridge from the external environment when arranged in said closed position.

9. Cartridge according to claim 8, wherein said door is motorized so as to spontaneously assume said closed position.

11. Cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir has a volume included between 1 cm³ and 50 cm³.

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

13. Cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said predefined radiation is suited to be emitted by an emitter belonging to said stereolithography machine.

17. Cartridge according to claim 1 further comprising a connection element for removable connection to a stereolithography machine.

18. Cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said means for feeding is adapted to provide a layer of base material in contact with said transparent bottom.

19. Cartridge according to claim 8 further comprising a lock to lock said door in said closed position.

20. Cartridge according to claim 8 wherein said door is configured to keep said cartridge completely tight at least until a first opening of said door.

10. (canceled)

14. Method for manufacturing a cartridge further comprising:

providing a container having a bottom that is transparent to a predefined radiation and a reservoir permanently associated with said container;

filling said reservoir with a base liquid or paste material, suited to be solidified through exposure to the predefined radiation through the transparent bottom; and

sealing said reservoir and said container.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

21. Method for manufacturing a stereolithography cartridge comprising:

providing a liquid or paste base material suited to be solidified through exposure to a predefined radiation;

calculating an amount of energy, in the form of said predefined radiation, this is necessary to solidify a given volume of said base material;

providing a plate transparent to said predefined radiation such that the energy in the form of said predefined radiation, that is necessary to opacify said plate when said predefined radiation is made to pass through said plate does not exceed 110% of said amount of energy;

providing a container having a bottom made of said plate and a reservoir having a volume equal to said given volume and associated with said container to form a single body;

filling said reservoir with said base material; and

incorporating a feed device into the stereolithography cartridge to feed the base material from the reservoir to the container.

22. The method according to claim 21 further comprising providing a controller connected to said feed device to control flow of said base material toward said container.

23. The method according to claim 21 further comprising providing the cartridge with a connector for removable connection to a stereolithography machine.

24. The method according to claim 21 wherein said feed device is configured to provide a layer of base material in contact with said transparent plate bottom.

25. The method according to claim 23 wherein said connector includes sensors to detect the presence of said cartridge.

26. The method according to claim 21 further comprising providing the cartridge with a door movably associated with an access opening in such a way as to assume at least one open position and at least one closed position for said access opening.

27. The method according to claim 23 further comprising providing walls to insulate the base material contained in the reservoir from the external environment.

28. The method according to claim 21 wherein said feed device further comprises a valve connected to allow or prevent the outflow of said base material from said reservoir to said container.

29. The method according to claim 21 wherein said feed device further comprises a thrust device suited to thrust said material toward said container.

30. The method according to claim 21 further comprising providing a detector positioned to monitor the level of said base material contained in said reservoir.

31. The method according to claim 30 wherein said detector is configured to emit an electrical signal that represents the level of said base material contained in said reservoir, and further comprising providing a connector to allow the transmission of said electrical signal to a device external to said cartridge.

32. The method according to claim 21 wherein said door insulates the content of the cartridge from the external environment when arranged in said closed position.

33. The method according to claim 26 wherein said door is motorized so as to spontaneously assume said closed position.

34. The method according to claim 26 further comprising providing the cartridge with a lock to lock said door in said closed position.

35. The method according to claim 26 wherein said door is configured so as to keep the cartridge tight at least until the first opening of said door.