Apparatus and method for thermal normalization in three-dimensional article manufacturing
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for making a three-dimensional article based upon article defining data, said apparatus comprising:
- a platform;
build material dispensing means positioned adjacent said platform for dispensing solidifiable build material upon said platform to construct the article in successive layers based upon the article defining data and which layers solidify after dispensing; and
thermal normalization means positioned adjacent said platform for dimensionally normalizing solidified portions of the article during construction thereof by heating, melting, and displacing predetermined solidified portions of dispensed solidified build material at predetermined intervals during construction of the article.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article includes dispensing build material and thermally normalizing predetermined portions thereof at predetermined intervals during construction of the article. The thermal energy may be provided by a heated body advanced adjacent to or in contact with the surface portions. Thermal energy may also be supplied by a radiation source. The thermal normalization may be performed after a predetermined number of successive layers are dispensed. Related methods are also disclosed.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. An apparatus for making a three-dimensional article based upon article defining data, said apparatus comprising:
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a platform; build material dispensing means positioned adjacent said platform for dispensing solidifiable build material upon said platform to construct the article in successive layers based upon the article defining data and which layers solidify after dispensing; and thermal normalization means positioned adjacent said platform for dimensionally normalizing solidified portions of the article during construction thereof by heating, melting, and displacing predetermined solidified portions of dispensed solidified build material at predetermined intervals during construction of the 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. An apparatus for making a three-dimensional article based upon article defining data, said apparatus comprising:
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a platform; build material dispensing means positioned adjacent said platform for dispensing solidifiable build material upon said platform to construct the article in successive layers based upon the article defining data and which layers solidify after dispensing; a heater; a body in thermal communication with said heater; and positioning means for advancing said body along a predetermined path of travel so that said body heats, melts, and displaces predetermined solidified portions of dispensed solidified build material at predetermined intervals during construction of the article. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for making a three-dimensional article based upon article defining data, said apparatus comprising:
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a platform; ballistic jetting means, positioned adjacent said platform, for ballistically jetting meltable and solidifiable build material upon said platform to construct the article in successive layers based upon the article defining data and which layers solidify after jetting; a heater; a body in thermal communication with said heater, said body having a contact surface; and positioning means for advancing said body along a predetermined path of travel so that the contact surface contacts, heats, melts, and displaces predetermined solidified portions of jetted solidified build material at predetermined intervals during construction of the article. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An apparatus for thermally normalizing a three-dimensional article during construction thereof by dispensing solidifiable build material upon a platform to construct the article in successive layers based upon article defining data and which layers solidify after dispensing, said apparatus comprising:
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a heater; a body in thermal communication with said heater, said body having a contact surface; and positioning means for advancing said body along a predetermined path of travel so that the contact surface contacts, melts, and displaces predetermined solidified portions of dispensed solidified build material at predetermined intervals during construction of the article. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for making a three-dimensional article based upon article defining data, said method comprising the steps of:
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dispensing solidifiable build material upon a platform to construct the article in successive layers based upon the article defining data and which layers solidify after dispensing; and heating, melting and displacing predetermined solidified portions of dispensed solidified build material at predetermined intervals during construction of the article. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An apparatus for making a three-dimensional article based upon article defining data, said apparatus comprising:
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a platform; build material dispensing means positioned adjacent said platform for dispensing build material upon said platform to construct the article in successive layers based upon the article defining data; a heater; a body in thermal communication with said heater; and positioning means for advancing said body along a predetermined path of travel so that said body heats predetermined portions of dispensed build material at predetermined intervals during construction of the article, said positioning means comprising means for moving said body in three directions relative to said platform and means for rotating said body about two axes relative to said platform thereby defining five degrees of freedom of movement for said body. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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50. An apparatus for making a three-dimensional article based upon article defining data, said apparatus comprising:
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a platform; build material dispensing means positioned adjacent said platform for dispensing build material upon said platform to construct the article in successive layers based upon the article defining data; a heater; a body in thermal communication with said heater; positioning means for advancing said body along a predetermined path of travel so that said body heats predetermined portions of dispensed build material at predetermined intervals during construction of the article; and a processor operatively connected to said positioning means, said processor comprising means for controlling said positioning means so that said body is advanced in alternating predetermined paths of travel in successive operations. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53)
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54. An apparatus for making a three-dimensional article based upon article defining data, said apparatus comprising:
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a platform; build material dispensing means positioned adjacent said platform for dispensing build material upon said platform to construct the article in successive layers based upon the article defining data; a heater; a body in thermal communication with said heater, said body having a contact surface with a generally bulbous shape; and positioning means for advancing said body along a predetermined path of travel so that said body heats predetermined portions of dispensed build material at predetermined intervals during construction of the article. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57)
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58. An apparatus for making a three-dimensional article based upon article defining data, said apparatus comprising:
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a platform; build material dispensing means positioned adjacent said platform for dispensing build material upon said platform to construct the article in successive layers based upon the article defining data; a heater; a body in thermal communication with said heater, said body having a tubular end portion defining a channel for facilitating removal of heated build material; and positioning means for advancing said body along a predetermined path of travel so that said body heats predetermined portions of dispensed build material at predetermined intervals during construction of the article. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61)
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Specification