Process for manufacturing a shaped product

• US 5,269,982 A
• Filed: 02/12/1992
• Issued: 12/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brotz, Gregory R.
• Original Assignee: Brotz, Gregory R.
• Inventors: Brotz, Gregory R.
• Primary Examiner(s): THEISEN, MARY LYNN F
• Application Number:
  US07/834,386
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 264/25, 264/37, 264/113, 264/122, 264/126
• US Class Current: 264/438
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0838 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/10 for articles of indefinite length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/04 Sintering combined with compression B29C43/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/251 Particles, powder or granules expandable particles B29K2105/046

Abstract

Process for creating a shaped product from a plurality of particles by having a heat beam directed thereon in a desired pattern, fusing the particles into a structure in the desired pattern where the heat beam was directed, such shaped product being removed from the remainder of the unfused particles, such process in some embodiments being a continuous process.

Claims

1. A process for producing a shaped product characterized by being free-standing and not supported on a substrate comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of fusable particles each in contact with its immediately adjacent particles in a particle bed;

directing a heat beam in a pattern onto said particles to fuse certain of said particles together and to allow those particles to solidify into a desired shape; and

removing said solidified structure formed in said desired shape from said particle bed.

2. The process of claim 1 further including the steps of:

providing said heat beam from a laser;

rotating a first mirror back and forth, reflecting said heat beam;

rotating a second mirror up and down, receiving the reflected beam from said first mirror and directing it to said particles;

fusing said particles where struck by said heat beam, such particles when said heat beam passes thereby, solidifying and forming a structure where struck; and

lifting and removing said solidified structure out from said plurality of particles while at the same time directing said heat beam to contiguous particles to create a continuous shaped structure as it is removed from the particles.

3. A process for producing a shaped product comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of fusable particles each in contact with its immediately adjacent particles in a particle bed;

floating said plurality of particles on a fluid medium;

directing a heat beam in a pattern onto said particles to fuse certain of said particles together and to allow those particles to solidify into a desired shape; and

removing said solidified structure formed in said desired shape from said particle bed.

4. The process of claim 3 further including the step of:

continuously removing said fused and solidified particle structure from said particle bed while heating and fusing particles contiguous with said solidified particles.

5. The process of claim 4 further including the step of:

adding particles continuously to said particle bed as said fused and solidified particles are being removed therefrom.

6. A process for producing a shaped product comprising the steps of:

providing a retention member in a desired shape;

providing a plurality of fusable particles each in contact with its immediately adjacent particles in a particle bed;

adhering said plurality of particles to said retention member by applying a static electrical charge to said retention member causing said particles to be attracted to and adhere to said retention member;

directing a heat beam in a pattern onto said particles to fuse certain of said particles together and to allow those particles to solidify into a desired shape; and

removing said solidified structure formed in said desired shape from said retention member.

7. A process for producing a shaped produt comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of fusable particles each in contact with its immediately adjacent particles in a particle bed;

providing a retention member;

providing means to adhere said particles in contacting relationship with its immediately adjacent particles on said retention member;

directing a heat beam against selected of said adhered particles in a desired pattern to fuse said particles together in the areas where struck by said heat beam;

rotating said retention member under said heat beam;

creating a shaped product from said fused particles; and

removing said shaped product from said retention member.

8. A process for producing a shaped product comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of fusable particles each in contact with its immediately adjacent particles in a particle bed;

directing a heat beam in a pattern onto said particles to fuse certain of said particles together and to allow those particles to solidify into a desired shape;

continuously removing said fused and solidified particle structure from said particle bed while heating and fusing particles contiguous with said solidified particles;

advancing said bed of particles on a conveyor belt; and

recycling unused particles back to the front of said conveyor belt.