Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium
First Claim
1. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
- container means for holding the liquid medium;
support means in the container means for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed;
means for forming a first cross-section of the liquid medium on the support means;
means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of the first cross-section of the liquid medium, to form a first layer of the solid three-dimensional article;
means for raising the level of the liquid medium in the container means surrounding the solidified first cross-section of the article so as to form a meniscus around the periphery of the first cross-section;
horizontally reciprocating means for coating a second cross-section of the liquid medium directly onto the solidified first cross-section of the solid three-dimensional article so as to fill the meniscus with the liquid medium from above and so that the meniscus surrounding the solidified first cross-section is broken and the second cross-section of the liquid medium and the liquid medium surrounding the second cross-second flow together and form an essentially level surface;
said solidifying means then being operative to solidify a second preselected cross-section of the liquid medium, to form a second layer of the solid three-dimensional article; and
said liquid medium level raising means, coating means and solidifying means then being repetitively operated in sequence, as necessary, to complete the solid three-dimensional article.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A solid three-dimensional article is formed from a liquid medium by initially coating a layer of the liquid medium on an apertured support plate. An initial cross-section or profile of the article then is formed by solidifying the liquid medium, or at least a portion thereof, on the support plate. An expandable member at a bottom of a container for holding a supply of the liquid medium, then is expanded an incremental amount to raise the level of the liquid medium in the container upward through the apertured support plate to a level above the support plate so as to form a meniscus around the solidified cross-section or profile of the article. The solidified cross-section or profile of the article then is coated with an additional layer of the liquid medium, causing the meniscus to break and the just-added liquid medium layer and the previous liquid medium to merge, whereupon the additional layer is essentially immediately solidified to form another cross-section or profile of the article. The expandable member then is again expanded an incremental amount to again raise the level of the liquid medium in the container upward to define a meniscus around the second solidified cross-section or profile of the article. The foregoing sequence of operation then is repeated until the article has been completely formed.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
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container means for holding the liquid medium; support means in the container means for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed; means for forming a first cross-section of the liquid medium on the support means; means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of the first cross-section of the liquid medium, to form a first layer of the solid three-dimensional article; means for raising the level of the liquid medium in the container means surrounding the solidified first cross-section of the article so as to form a meniscus around the periphery of the first cross-section; horizontally reciprocating means for coating a second cross-section of the liquid medium directly onto the solidified first cross-section of the solid three-dimensional article so as to fill the meniscus with the liquid medium from above and so that the meniscus surrounding the solidified first cross-section is broken and the second cross-section of the liquid medium and the liquid medium surrounding the second cross-second flow together and form an essentially level surface; said solidifying means then being operative to solidify a second preselected cross-section of the liquid medium, to form a second layer of the solid three-dimensional article; and said liquid medium level raising means, coating means and solidifying means then being repetitively operated in sequence, as necessary, to complete the solid three-dimensional article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
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container means for holding the liquid medium; fixed support means in the container means, for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed; means for producing a layer of the liquid medium in the container means above the fixed support means; laser means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of such layer in accordance with a design for the three-dimensional article; means for alternately and repetitively operating said liquid medium layer-producing and laser solidifying means, as necessary, to form the solid three-dimensional article; and means for reducing the level of unsolidified liquid medium within the container means from around the formed three-dimensional article while on the fixed support means. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
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container means for holding the liquid medium; support means mounted in a fixed position in the container means for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed; means for producing a layer of the liquid medium in the container means above the fixed support means in the container means, said layer-producing means including means for dispensing at least a portion of the liquid medium layer from above the fixed support means; means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of the produced layer of the liquid medium, to form a cross-sectional portion of the solid three-dimensional article; means for causing said liquid medium layer-producing and solidifying means to be alternately and repetitively operated in sequence, as necessary, to complete the solid three-dimensional article; and means for reducing the level of unsolidified liquid medium in the container means from around the formed three-dimensional article while on the fixed support means. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
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container means for holding the liquid medium; separate support means mounted in a fixed position above a bottom of the container means for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed and providing fluid communication between portions of the container means above and below the support means; means for producing a layer of the liquid medium in the container means above the fixed support means, said layer-producing means including dispensing means for dispensing liquid medium from above the three-dimensional article being made and means for intermittently withdrawing a portion of the liquid medium from a lower portion of the container means below the fixed support means and feeding the liquid medium to the dispensing means; means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of the produced layer of the liquid medium, to form a cross-sectional portion of the solid three-dimensional article; means for raising said solidifying means after solidification of the preselected cross-section of the liquid medium; means for causing said liquid medium layer-producing, solidifying and raising means to be alternately and repetitively operated in sequence, as necessary, to complete the solid three-dimensional article; and means for reusing unsolidified liquid medium from around the formed three-dimensional article.
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49. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
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fixed container means for holding the liquid medium; fixed support means in the container means, for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed; means for producing a layer of the liquid medium in the container means above the fixed support means, said layer-producing means including horizontally and vertically movable dispenser means of horizontally extending elongated construction for dispensing at least a portion of the liquid medium layer from above the fixed support means in the container means; vertically movable laser means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of such layer in accordance with a design for the three-dimensional article; means for raising said dispensing means after dispensing of the liquid medium, and for raising said laser solidifying means after solidification of the preselected cross-section of the liquid medium; and means for alternately and repetitively operating said liquid medium layer-producing, solidifying and raising means, as necessary, to form the solid three-dimensional article. - View Dependent Claims (50)
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51. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
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fixed container means for holding the liquid medium; fixed support means in the container means, for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed; horizontally movable means for dispensing at least a portion of such liquid medium from above the fixed support means for producing a layer of the liquid medium in the container means, said dispensing means comprising an outer elongated cylinder and an inner elongated cylinder mounted in relatively rotatable coaxial relationship, each cylinder including an elongated slot; means for causing relative rotation between the cylinders of said dispensing means to cause relative movement of the elongated slots between a non-aligned closed position and an aligned dispensing position; means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of the produced layer in accordance with a design for the three-dimensional article; and means for alternatively and repetitively operating said liquid medium layer-producing and solidifying means, as necessary, to form the solid three-dimensional article.
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52. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article form a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
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container means for holding the liquid medium; support means in the container means, for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed; means for dispensing at least a portion of such liquid medium from above the support means for producing a layer of the liquid medium in the container means, gear rack means for supporting the dispensing means for horizontal reciprocating movement above the support means; drive means for reciprocating the dispensing means on the gear rack means; means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of the produced layer in accordance with a design for the three-dimensional article; and means for alternatively and repetitively operating said liquid medium layer-producing and solidifying means, as necessary, to form the solid three-dimensional article.
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53. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
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container means for holding the liquid medium; support means in the container means, for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed; means for dispensing at least a portion of such liquid medium from above the support means for producing a layer of the liquid medium in the container means, said dispensing means being mounted for oscillating swinging movement above the support means; means for oscillating the dispensing means; means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of the produced layer in accordance with a design for the three-dimensional article; and means for alternatively and repetitively operating said liquid medium layer-producing and solidifying means, as necessary, to form the solid three-dimensional article.
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54. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article form a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
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fixed container means for holding the liquid medium; fixed support means in the container means, for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed; means for intermittently dispensing at least a portion of such liquid medium from above the support means for producing a layer of the liquid medium in the container means; means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of the produced layer, to form a layer of the solid three-dimensional article; and means for intermittently withdrawing a portion of the liquid medium from a lower portion of the container means and feeding the withdrawn liquid medium to the dispensing means to cause the intermittent dispensing of the liquid medium. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
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57. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
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fixed container means for holding the liquid medium; fixed support means in the container means, for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed; elongated tube means for dispensing at least a portion of such liquid medium from above the fixed support means for producing a layer of the liquid medium in the container means, said elongated tube means extending horizontally and substantially parallel to said fixed support means; means for supporting the elongated tube means for horizontal reciprocating movement above the fixed support means; drive means for reciprocating the elongated tube means on the tube support means; means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of the produced layer in accordance with a design for the three-dimensional article; and means for alternatively and repetitively operating said liquid medium layer-producing and solidifying means, as necessary, to form the solid three-dimensional article. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
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tank means for holding the liquid medium during forming of the solid three-dimensional article; fixed means in the tank means for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed; reservoir means for holding a supply of the liquid medium; means for intermittently dispensing at least a portion of such liquid medium from above the support means for producing a layer of the liquid medium in the tank means; means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of the produced layer, to form a layer of the solid three-dimensional article; means for intermittently withdrawing a portion of the liquid medium from adjacent a bottom of said reservoir means and feeding the withdrawn liquid medium to the dispensing means, to cause the intermittent dispensing of the liquid medium; and means for draining unsolidified liquid medium from the tank means back into the reservoir means, said tank means, reservoir means, dispensing means, withdrawing-and-feeding means and draining means forming a closed-loop, recirculating flow path for said liquid medium. - View Dependent Claims (67)
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68. Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium capable of solidification when subjected to prescribed energy, which comprises:
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tank means for holding the liquid medium during forming of the solid three-dimensional article; a fixed support in the tank means for supporting the solid three-dimensional article being formed; reservoir means positioned below said tank means for holding a supply of the liquid medium; means for intermittently dispensing at least a portion of such liquid medium from above the support means for producing a layer of the liquid medium in the tank means; means for solidifying a preselected cross-section of the produced layer, to form a layer of the solid three-dimensional article; means for intermittently withdrawing a portion of the liquid medium from the reservoir means and feeding the withdrawn liquid medium to the dispensing means, to cause the intermittent dispensing of the liquid medium; and means for draining unsolidified liquid medium from the tank means into the lower reservoir means for reuse. - View Dependent Claims (69)
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Specification