3D PRINTING APPARATUS

• US 20180043619A1
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Published: 02/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Hyoungseok, CHOI, Kyujin
• Application Number:
  US15/557,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20180043619A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/129 characterised by the energy source therefor, e.g. by global irradiation combined with a mask
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/264 Arrangements for irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/357 Recycling
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) printing apparatus is provided. The 3D printing apparatus includes a modeling material circulating part for circulating a modeling material for modeling a 3D model, a light source unit disposed on one side of the modeling material circulating part to supply light toward the modeling material so that the modeling material is cured, a stage on which the modeling material cured through the light source unit is seated, the stage being disposed to face the modeling material circulating part, a stage driving part connected to the stage to provide a driving force for moving the stage, a modeling material supply part for supplying the modeling material to the modeling material circulating part, a modeling material collecting part for collecting the modeling material, which passes through the light source unit, of the modeling material circulating by the modeling material circulating part, and a modeling material recycling part connected to the modeling material collecting part to filter the collected modeling material to resupply the filtered modeling material to the modeling material circulating part.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional (3D) printing apparatus comprising:

a modeling material circulating device to circulate a modeling material for modeling a 3D model;

a light source device to supply light to the modeling material such that the modeling material is cured;

a stage to receive the modeling material cured through the light source, wherein the stage is disposed to face the modeling material circulating device;

a stage driving part to provide a driving force for moving the stage;

a modeling material supply device to supply the modeling material to the modeling material circulating device;

a modeling material collecting device to collect the modeling material circulating on the modeling material circulating device; and

a modeling material recycling device coupled to the modeling material collecting device to filter the collected modeling material and to resupply the filtered modeling material to the modeling material circulating device.

2. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source device is disposed inside the modeling material circulating device.

3. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the modeling material collecting device is disposed outside the modeling material circulating device, and the modeling material recycling device is disposed outside the modeling material circulating device.

4. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the modeling material circulating device includes:

a circulation belt to circulate the modeling material, wherein the modeling material is to be provided on the circulation belt; and

a plurality of belt rollers disposed inside the circulation belt to provide driving forces for the circulation belt.

5. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the light source device is disposed inside the circulation belt, the modeling material collecting device is disposed outside the circulation belt, and the modeling material recycling device is disposed outside the circulation belt.

6. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the modeling material circulating device includes a plurality of roller sensors for respectively controlling revolutions per minute (RPM), and moving distance of different ones of the plurality of belt rollers.

7. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the light source device is movable along a longitudinal direction of the circulation belt.

8. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the modeling material collecting device includes:

at least one collection blade to separate the modeling material from the circulation belt;

a suction unit coupled to the at least one collection blade to suction the modeling material separated from the circulation belt by the at least one collection blade; and

a connecting unit connecting the suction unit to the modeling material recycling device such that the modeling material suctioned by the suction unit is supplied to the modeling material recycling device.

9. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the at least one collection blade includes a plurality of collection blades, and

the plurality of collection blades are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance.

10. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the suction unit includes:

a suction unit body coupled to the collection blade; and

a compressor to provide compressed air to the suction unit body such that the suction unit body suctions the modeling material from the collection blade.

11. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the modeling material recycling device includes:

a filter device to filter the modeling material supplied from the modeling material collecting device;

a resupply device coupled to the filter device to resupply the modeling material filtered from the filter device to the modeling material circulating device; and

a waste container coupled to the filter device to accommodate the modeling material other than the filtered modeling material.

12. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the resupply device is integrated with the modeling material supply device.

13. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the resupply device is disposed a predetermined distance apart from the modeling material supply device.

14. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source device includes an LED array having a plurality of LEDs.

15. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the modeling material is a photocurable liquid resin composition.

16. A three-dimensional (3D) printing apparatus comprising:

a modeling material circulating device having a circulation belt to circulate modeling material for a 3D model;

a light source device to cure the modeling material by supplying light to the modeling material;

a supply device to supply the modeling material to the circulating device;

a collecting device to collect the modeling material circulating on the circulating device; and

a recycling device connected to the collecting device to filter the collected modeling material and to resupply the filtered modeling material to the circulating device.

17. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the circulating device includes:

the circulation belt to circulate the modeling material, wherein the modeling material is to be provided on the circulation belt; and

a plurality of belt rollers disposed inside the circulation belt to provide driving forces to the circulation belt.

18. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the collecting device includes:

at least one collection blade to separate the modeling material from the circulation belt;

a suction unit coupled to the at least one collection blade to suction the modeling material separated from the circulating belt by the at least one collection blade; and

a connecting unit connecting the suction unit to the recycling device such that the modeling material suctioned by the suction unit is supplied to the recycling device.

19. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the suction unit includes:

a suction unit body coupled to the collection blade; and

a compressor to provide compressed air to the suction unit body such that the suction unit body suctions the modeling material from the collection blade.

20. The 3D printing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the recycling device includes:

a filter device to filter the modeling material supplied from the collecting device;

a resupply device coupled to the filter device to resupply the modeling material filtered from the filter device to the circulating device; and

a waste container coupled to the filter device to accommodate the modeling material other than the filtered modeling material.