Apparatus and related method for forming a substantially flat stereolithographic working surface
First Claim
1. An improved method for stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object from a curable resin which is transformable upon exposure to solidifying radiation, comprising the steps of successively forming layers of said curable resin at a desired working surface in preparation for forming layers of said three-dimensional object, successively transforming said layers of curable resin by selectively exposing said layers of curable resin to solidifying radiation to form said layers of said three-dimensional object, and repeating said steps of forming and transforming so as to buildup the three-dimensional object from a plurality of adhered layers, the improvement comprising the steps of:
- covering at least a portion of the curable resin with a film, having a thickness, located at the working surface;
retracting the film from the working surface, without translation of the film along the plane of the working surface, by peeling the film from the working surface;
exposing the curable resin at the working surface to solidifying radiation in a pattern to form a layer of the three-dimensional object; and
repeating the covering, retracting and exposing steps a plurality of times to form a plurality of layers of the three-dimensional object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and related method for providing a substantially flat working surface of photocurable resin for the formation of a next layer of a stereolithographic part. A substantially flat surface of a rigid member is substantially covered by and spaced from the resin by a substance or film, which is placed in contact with the photocurable resin to form the working surface. Various embodiments are described including where the rigid member is a quartz including a fused silica plate, a bar, a vat wall, the face of a CRT, a fiber-optic bundle, or the bottom of a piston, and also including embodiments where the substance or film is a thin teflon or mylar film, an inert liquid, wax, a thin coating of trichlorosilane or ethoxysilane, or oxygen-saturated resin. Embodiments are also described whereby the next layer is exposed by transmitting solidifying radiation through the member and substance or film.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An improved method for stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object from a curable resin which is transformable upon exposure to solidifying radiation, comprising the steps of successively forming layers of said curable resin at a desired working surface in preparation for forming layers of said three-dimensional object, successively transforming said layers of curable resin by selectively exposing said layers of curable resin to solidifying radiation to form said layers of said three-dimensional object, and repeating said steps of forming and transforming so as to buildup the three-dimensional object from a plurality of adhered layers, the improvement comprising the steps of:
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covering at least a portion of the curable resin with a film, having a thickness, located at the working surface; retracting the film from the working surface, without translation of the film along the plane of the working surface, by peeling the film from the working surface; exposing the curable resin at the working surface to solidifying radiation in a pattern to form a layer of the three-dimensional object; and
repeating the covering, retracting and exposing steps a plurality of times to form a plurality of layers of the three-dimensional object.
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2. An improved method for stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object from a curable resin which is transformable upon exposure to solidifying radiation, comprising the steps of successively forming layers of said curable resin at a desired working surface in preparation for forming layers of said three-dimensional object, successively transforming said layers of curable resin by selectively exposing said layers of curable resin to solidifying radiation to form said layers of said three-dimensional object, and repeating said steps of forming and transforming so as to buildup the three-dimensional object from a plurality of adhered layers, the improvement comprising the steps of:
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covering at least a portion of the curable resin with a film, having a thickness, located at the working surface; retracting the film from the working surface, without translation of the film along the plane of the working surface, by peeling the film from the working surface at a trailing contact line of the film and the working surface wherein substantially the only force of separation experienced between the film and the resin occurs progressively along the trailing contact line; exposing the curable resin at the working surface to solidifying radiation in a pattern to form a layer of the three-dimensional object; and repeating the covering, retracting and exposing steps a plurality of times to form a plurality of layers of three-dimensional object. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An improved apparatus for stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object from a curable resin which is transformable upon exposure to solidifying radiation, comprising means for successively forming layers of said curable resin at a desired working surface in preparation for forming layers of said three-dimensional object, means for successively transforming said layers of curable resin including means for selectively exposing said layers of curable resin to solidifying radiation to form said layers of said three-dimensional object, and means for repeatedly actuating the means for forming and the means for transforming so as to buildup the three-dimensional object from a plurality of adhered layers, the improvement comprising:
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means for covering at least a portion of the curable resin with a film, having a thickness, located at the working surface; means for retracting the film from the working surface, without translation of the film along the plane of the working surface comprising means for peeling the film from the working surface; means for exposing the curable resin at the working surface to solidifying radiation in a pattern to form a layer of the three-dimensional object; and means for repeatly actuating the means for covering, the means for retracting and the means for exposing a plurality of times to form a plurality of layers of the three-dimensional object.
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19. An improved apparatus for stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object from a curable resin which is transformable upon exposure to solidifying radiation, comprising means for successively forming layers of said curable resin at a desired working surface in preparation for forming layers of said three-dimensional object, means for successively transforming said layers of curable resin including means for selectively exposing said layers of curable resin to solidifying radiation to form said layers of said three-dimensional object, and means for repeatedly actuating the means for forming and the means for transforming so as to buildup the three-dimensional object from a plurality of adhered layers, the improvement comprising:
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means for covering at least a portion of the curable resin with a film, having a thickness, located at the working surface; means for retracting the film from the working surface without translation of the film along the plane of the working surface, comprising means for peeling the film from the working surface at a trailing contact line of the film and the working surface wherein substantially the only force of separation experienced between the film and the resin occurs progressively along the trailing contact line; means for exposing the resin at the working surface to solidifying radiation in a pattern to form a layer of the three-dimensional object; and means for repeatly actuating the means for covering, the means for retracting and the means for exposing a plurality of times to form a plurality of layers of the three-dimensional object. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification