Laser based plastic model making workstation

• US 5,106,288 A
• Filed: 01/24/1990
• Issued: 04/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Austral Asian Lasers Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Austral Asian Lasers Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Hughes, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Housel, James C.
• Application Number:
  US07/459,779
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 425/112, 425/161, 425/162, 425/174.4, 425/375, 264/1.4, 264/1.7, 264/22, 264/250, 264/255, 264/308, 156/58, 156/59, 156/242, 156/272.2, 156/272.8, 156/273.3, 156/273.5, 156/275.5, 156/379.6, 156/538, 365/106, 365/107, 365/119, 365/120, 365/126, 365/127, 427/43.1, 427/54.1, 118/695, 118/697, 118/620, 118/500
• US Class Current: 425/174.4
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/007 Marks, e.g. trade marks
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/42 Plastics B23K2103/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0006 taking account of the properties of the material involved B23K26/32, B23K26/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/135 the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G03C 9/00 Stereo-photographic or similar processes
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/2055 for the production of printing plates; Exposure of liquid photohardening compositions
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 25/00 Models for purposes not provided for in G09B23/00, e.g. full-sized devices for demonstration purposes model vehicles, tracks therefor, models in the nature of toys A63H

Abstract

A system for producing precision plastic products via the polymerization of liquid plastics using combined static ultra-violet laser stencil imaging with dynamic focused ultra-violet laser beams is provided. Computer control of the position of the laser beams relative to the face of a computer controlled adjustable pattern immersed in the liquid plastic allows for the hardened plastic product being produced to rest on an end face of the piston as the computer controlled laser beam profiling processes takes place within the liquid plastic.

Claims

1. A system for producing precision plastic products via ultra-violet laser beam polymerization of liquid plastics, comprising:

a tank for containing liquid ultra-violet curable plastic,

ultra-violet means for selectively curing a portion of the plastic on a surface thereof, said ultra-violet means having a first ultra-violet part and a second ultra-violet part,

a movable base means for supporting the selectively cured portion,

said first ultra-violet part forming an ultra-violet laser beam image which is static for each successive position of said base means for high resolution polymerization,

said second ultra-violet part forming a focused ultra-violet laser beam spot which is dynamic for each successive position of said base means for low resolution polymerization,

and control means for controlling said ultra-violet means and said base means such that said base means is successively movable in order to permit said ultra-violet means to selectively cure successive plastic portions, whereby a three-dimensional polymerized plastic object is formed.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein dimensions of said static image are variable in size for different positions of said base means.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said static image are variable in shape with respect to different positions of said base means.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said focused laser beam is moved relative to said static laser beam image, in coordination with a specific position of said base means.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said base means is sealed inside said tank, a face of said base means forming a base for said cured portion, the position of said base means being adjusted to maintain a liquid plastic-polymerized plastic interface in a plane in which said static image is focused and over which plane said focus spot of said focused laser beam is scanned.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a recirculating filter system for removing polymerization debris from said tank.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a movable, transparent, ultra-violet transmitting film disposed on an entrance window to said tank, said film arranged and constructed to protect said entrance window from polymerization debris.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said ultra-violet means forms a multitude of treated areas of approximately one micron in diameter on a plastic card, said areas forming pictorial and alphanumeric data.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said static laser beam image is arranged for high resolution polymerization of liquid plastics, said focus spot of said focused incident laser beam is arranged for rapid polymerization of the liquid plastic in regions which do not require high resolution.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said laser beams are phased array laser beams.

11. A system according to claim 1, said ultra-violet means further comprising a liquid crystal light valve arranged and constructed to produce a real time static image.