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Process and apparatus for creating a colorful three-dimensional object

  • US 6,129,872 A
  • Filed: 08/29/1998
  • Issued: 10/10/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for making a colorful three-dimensional object on a layer-by-layer basis, comprising:

  • a supply of at least one primary body-building material in filament form;

    a filament feeding device comprising at least one filament feeding channel at a predetermined distance from said supply for receiving said at least one body-building filament material therefrom and drive means to drive and regulate the flow of said at least one filament material in said feeding channel;

    a dispensing nozzle having on one side a flow passage communicating with each said channel to receive said filament material therefrom, heating means at a predetermined position for supplying heat energy to said flow passage for converting a leading portion of said filament material therein to a flowable fluid state, and on another side a discharge orifice to dispense said fluid therethrough;

    a multi-channel colorant-injecting module comprising at least one injecting channel in flow communication with said flow passage of the nozzle, at least one colorant-containing reservoir in flow communication with said injecting channel, and valve means in control relation to said at least one reservoir to regulate the flow of a colorant therefrom and through said injecting channel to mix with said leading portion of said filament material for forming a colorant-containing fluid;

    an object-supporting platform disposed at an initially predetermined distance from said discharge orifice to receive said colorant-containing fluid discharged therefrom; and

    motion devices coupled to said platform and said nozzle for moving said nozzle and said platform relative to one another in a plane defined by first and second directions and in a third direction orthogonal to said plane to deposit said colorant-containing fluid into a three-dimensional object.

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