Apparatus for building three-dimensional objects with sheets

• US 5,192,559 A
• Filed: 12/03/1991
• Issued: 03/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Smalley, Dennis R., Hull, Charles W., Jacobs, Paul F., Vinson, Wayne A., Schmidt, Kris A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B.
• Application Number:
  US07/803,681
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 264/22, 264/25, 264/152, 264/163, 264/255, 264/308, 425/89, 425/174, 425/174.4, 425/295, 425/297, 425/305.1, 425/308, 425/310, 425/375, 425/446, 156/155, 156/242, 156/264, 156/267, 156/272.2, 156/272.8, 156/275.7, 156/292, 156/379.6, 156/501, 156/512, 156/538, 219/121.65, 219/121.66, 219/121.67, 219/121.72, 219/121.73, 219/121.85, 250/492.1
• US Class Current: 425/89
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/124 using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/141 using only solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/147 using sheet material, e.g. laminated object manufacturing [LOM] or laminating sheet material precut to local cross sections of the 3D object
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/188 involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00
• 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 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1075 of plural laminae from single stock and assembling to each other or to additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/108 Flash, trim or excess removal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/13 Severing followed by associating with part from same source
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/17 Surface bonding means and/or assemblymeans with work feeding or handling means

Abstract

Systems for and methods of generating three-dimensional objects from a medium capable of selective physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, whereby sheets of medium corresponding to cross-sectional layers of the three-dimensional object are dispensed from a source, the dispensed sheets then being selectively exposed to synergistic stimulation thereby forming a layer of the three-dimensional object, the areas not exposed to synergistic stimulation being removed, and whereby successive sheets corresponding to successive cross-sectional layers are dispensed and selectively exposed to synergistic stimulation and integrated together with preceding layers to provide substantially a layer by layer buildup of the three-dimensional object, thereby forming the three-dimensional object.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of material solidifiable upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein portions of said sheets solidify to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

a source of said sheets;

means for dispensing successive sheets from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections;

a source of said synergistic stimulation;

means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by selectively exposing first portions of said successive sheets to said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said successive cross-sections, whereupon said first portions solidify, and unexposed regions comprise second portions of said sheets;

means for substantially removing at least some material from said second portions of said sheets; and

means for adhering said successive cross-sections to said previously formed cross-sections to form said three-dimensional object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said source includes means for forming said sheets on a support film.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said source of synergistic stimulation is selected from the group consisting of a thermal print head and an LED print head.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

said first portions are substantially insoluble in a developer and said second portions are soluble in said developer, and

wherein said removing means comprises means to dissolve said at least some material in said second portions in said developer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a source of a second synergistic stimulation;

means for selectively exposing at least a perimeter of said cross-sections to said second synergistic stimulation thereby cutting said first portions from said second portions;

wherein said synergistic stimulation serves to adhere said first portions of successive cross-sections to said previously formed cross-sections.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for substantially filling in parts of said second portions of said successive sheets with a material which is substantially inert to said synergistic stimulation.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said forming means forms said object by dispensing successive sheets below said previously formed cross-sections, and said removing means comprises means for dissecting material in said second portions, and allowing dissected material to fall away from said working surface due to gravity.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said forming means forms said object by dispensing successive sheets above said previously formed cross-sections, and said removing means comprises means for dissecting material in said second portions, and lifting away dissected material from said working surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for forming said sheets on a support film includes means for locating a release agent between said film and said sheets.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising means to heat the release agent to cause release of said sheets.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the release agent is wax paper.

20. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said second portions of at least one previously formed cross-section are removed after said at least one previously formed cross-section is formed but before said dispensing means dispenses a successive sheet onto said working surface.

21. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said second portions of said cross-sections are removed after said three-dimensional object is formed.

22. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said dissolving means includes means for selectively dispensing said developer onto regions of said sheets to be removed.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said developer is forcibly dispensed.

24. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said removal means further comprises means to ablate second portions of at least one successive cross-section using said second synergistic stimulation, which second portions had been a first portion of an adjacent previously formed cross-section.

4. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of material solidifiable upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein said sheets solidify to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

a source of said sheets;

means for dispensing successive sheets from said source onto a working surface;

a source of said synergistic stimulation;

means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by selectively exposing first portions of said successive sheets to said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said successive cross-sections, whereupon said first portions solidify, and unexposed regions comprise second portions of said sheets;

means for substantially removing at least some material from said second portions of said sheets;

means for transporting said successive cross-sections from said working surface to a position adjacent to at least one previously formed cross-section;

means for adhering said successive cross-sections to said at least one previously formed cross-section, said three-dimensional object being formed from a plurality of adhered cross-sections.

15. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said transporting means comprises a platen on which said cross-sections are formed, and wherein said platen transports said cross-sections into contact with said at least one previously formed cross-section.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising means to coat a surface of said sheets with a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 including means to separate said cross-sections from said platen comprising a release film located between said platen and said cross-sections.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 including means to separate said cross-sections from said platen comprising a means for passing a hot wire through said cross-section at a point adjacent to said platen.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said at least some material of said second portions is removed prior to said cross-sections being removed from said platen.

10. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of insoluble material which becomes soluble upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein portions of said sheets form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

a source of said sheets;

means for dispensing successive sheets from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections;

a source of said synergistic stimulation;

means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by selectively exposing first portions of said sheets to said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said cross-sections that are to become soluble, whereupon said first portions become soluble, and unexposed regions comprise insoluble second portions of said sheets to form successive cross-sections of said object;

means for adhering said successive cross-sections to said previously formed cross-sections to form said object; and

means for substantially dissolving at least some material in said first portions of said sheets in said developer.

11. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of material which is capable of selective cutting upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein said sheets are cut to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

a source of said sheets;

means for dispensing successive sheets having first and second portions, from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections prior to forming said successive cross-sections from said successive sheets;

a source of said synergistic stimulation;

means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by tracing at least perimeters of said first portions of said sheets with said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said perimeters of said successive cross-sections to cut and thereby separate said first portions from said second portions, wherein said first portions form successive cross-sections and are adhered together to form said object and wherein said second portions are removed;

means for adhering at least parts of said first portions of said successive cross-sections to said previously formed cross-sections; and

means for removing at least some material in said second portions of said sheets.

26. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least a surface of said sheets is coated with an adhesive responsive to second synergistic stimulation, further comprising:

a source of said second synergistic stimulation;

means for selectively exposing said adhesive to said second synergistic stimulation to cause adhesion between first portions of said successive cross-sections.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said adhesive is substantially non-responsive to said synergistic stimulation.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said adhesive is a photo-adhesive and said source of second synergistic stimulation emits electromagnetic radiation.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said sheets transmit said electromagnetic radiation and said electromagnetic radiation is selectively directed to expose said photo-adhesive through said sheets.

30. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said at least some material in said second portions of a cross-section is removed prior to adhering said cross-section to said previously formed cross-sections.

25. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of insoluble material which becomes soluble upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein portions of said sheets form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

a source of said sheets;

means for dispensing successive sheets from said source onto a working surface;

a source of said synergistic stimulation;

means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by selectively exposing first portions of said sheets to said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said cross-sections that are to become soluble, whereupon said first portions become soluble and unexposed regions comprise second portions of said sheets to form successive cross-sections of said object;

means for substantially removing at least some material from said first portions of said sheets;

means for transporting said successive cross-sections from said working surface to a position adjacent to at least one previously formed cross-section;

means for adhering said successive cross-sections to said at least one previously formed cross-section, said three-dimensional object being formed from a plurality of adhered cross-sections.

31. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of material which is capable of selective cutting upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein said sheets are cut to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

a source of said sheets;

means for dispensing successive sheets having first and second portions, from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections;

a source of said synergistic stimulation;

means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by tracing at least perimeters of said first portions of said sheets with said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said perimeters of said successive cross-sections to cut and thereby separate said first portions from said second portions, wherein said first portions form successive cross-sections to form said object and wherein said second portions are removed;

means for adhering at least one of said successive sheets to said previously formed cross-sections prior to said at least one sheet being formed into a cross-section; and

means for removing at least some material in said second portions of said sheets.

32. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of material which is capable of selective cutting upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein said sheets are cut to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

a source of said sheets;

means for dispensing successive sheets having first and second portions, from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections;

a source of said synergistic stimulation;

means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by tracing at least perimeters of said first portions of said sheets with said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said perimeters of said successive cross-sections to cut and thereby separate said first portions from said second portions, wherein said first portions form successive cross-sections and wherein said second portions are removed;

means for selectively adhering said successive cross-sections to said previously formed cross-sections to form said three-dimensional object; and

means for removing at least some material in said second portions of said sheets wherein said removal means includes means to dissect said second portions into pieces wherever said second portions are adjacent to fragile portions of said cross-sections.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said dissecting means dissects into pieces, substantially all of said second portions.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 further comprising means for blowing away said pieces of said second portions.

35. The apparatus of claim 33 further comprising means for vacuuming away said pieces of said second portions.

36. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of material which is capable of selective cutting upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein said sheets are cut to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

a source of said sheets;

means for dispensing successive sheets having first and second portions, from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections;

a source of said synergistic stimulation;

means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by tracing at least perimeters of said first portions of said sheets with said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said perimeters of said successive cross-sections to cut and thereby separate said first portions from said second portions, wherein said first portions form successive cross-sections and are adhered to previously formed cross-sections to form said object and wherein said second portions are removed;

means for adhering said successive cross-sections to previously formed cross-sections;

means for removing at least some material in said second portions of said sheets including means for ablating any parts of said second portions of a sheet which were first portions on a previously formed adjacent cross-section.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 further comprising means to control said forming means to cause tracing of a combined perimeter of first portions of a sheet and an adjacent previously formed cross-section, prior to tracing said perimeter of said first portions of said sheet which overlap said first portions of said adjacent previously formed cross-section.

38. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from a plurality of sheets stacked along a vertical axis, from material which is capable of selective cutting upon exposure to synergistic stimulation from a first source, wherein said sheets are cut to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

a source of said sheets;

means for dispensing successive sheets having first and second portions, from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections;

a source of said synergistic stimulation;

means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by tracing at least a perimeter of said first portions of said sheets with said synergistic stimulation from below said sheets according to corresponding representations of said perimeters of said successive cross-sections to cut and thereby separate said first portions from said second portions, wherein said first portions form successive cross-sections and are adhered to previously formed cross-sections to form said object and wherein said second portions are removed;

means for adhering said successive cross-sections to previously formed cross-sections; and

means for removing at least some material in said second portions.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein said forming means causes said synergistic stimulation to impinge on said sheets from below and from a non-vertical angle.