Apparatus and method for dispensing of powders

• US 6,336,480 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2001
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Therics Inc.
• Original Assignee: Therics Inc.
• Inventors: Fedor, Jeffrey A., Imiolek, Ireneusz J., Gaylo, Christopher M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US09/829,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20010015238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 141/12, 141/73, 141/74, 141/80, 141/280, 141/124, 141/256, 264/308, 425/218, 425/253, 425/447, 222/413
• US Class Current: 141/12
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/12 by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/00 Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/004 Filling molds with powder feeding material to presses in general B30B15/302
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/008 Using vibrations during moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/12 Spreading-out the material on a substrate , e.g. on the surface of a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/36 Feeding the material on to the mould, core or other substrate
• 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 64/329 using hoppers
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

A method and apparatus for dispensing and distributing a powder is disclosed that uses a rotary dispenser to dispense the powder by gravity onto a movable platen, the platen being movable to a position adjacent to a build bed where the powder can be distributed across the build bed using a spreader. The method and apparatus are also suited to dispensing of a plurality of powders used in build beds for solid free-form fabrication and three-dimensional printing. It is preferred that a powder contacting surface of the apparatus be coated with a coating selected from the group consisting of: an anodized finish, a hardcoat anodized finish, siloxane, baked enamel, electroplated enamel, electroless nickel, coated elastomer, laminated elastomer, dipped latex, sprayed latex, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyurethane, an epoxy resin, or a polyester.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing and distributing powder, comprising:

a hopper for containing a powder to be dispensed;

a rotary dispenser for measuring and dispensing a volume of the powder onto a platen, said rotary dispenser being mounted horizontally at the bottom of said hopper;

the platen for carrying the powder, said platen disposed horizontally below said hopper and mounted for linear motion along a first axis from a first platen position below and adjacent to said hopper, to a second platen position adjacent to a build bed;

means for distributing the powder from said platen in the second platen position, over said build bed, said distribution means mounted for linear motion along a second axis generally orthogonal to the first axis;

wherein at least a portion of one of the hopper, the rotary dispenser, the platen and the means for distributing the powder is coated with a coating selected from the group consisting of;

anodized finish, hardcoat anodized finish, siloxane, baked enamel, electroplated enamel, electroless nickel, coated elastomer, laminated elastomer, dipped latex, sprayed latex, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyurethane, an epoxy resin, or a polyester.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the interior of the hopper is coated with a coating selected from the group consisting of:

anodized finish, hardcoat anodized finish, siloxane, baked enamel, electroplated enamel, electroless nickel, coated elastomer, laminated elastomer, dipped latex, sprayed latex, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyurethane, an epoxy resin, or a polyester.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the coating is a hardcoat anodized finish.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the coating further comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the rotary dispenser is coated with a coating selected from the group consisting of:

anodized finish, hardcoat anodized finish, siloxane, baked enamel, electroplated enamel, electroless nickel, coated elastomer, laminated elastomer, dipped latex, sprayed latex, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyurethane, an epoxy resin, or a polyester.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the coating is a hardcoat anodized finish.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the coating further comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the platen is coated with a coating selected from the group consisting of:

anodized finish, hardcoat anodized finish, siloxane, baked enamel, electroplated enamel, electroless nickel, coated elastomer, laminated elastomer, dipped latex, sprayed latex, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyurethane, an epoxy resin, or a polyester.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the coating is a hardcoat anodized finish.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the coating further comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for distributing the powder is coated with a coating selected from the group consisting of:

anodized finish, hardcoat anodized finish, siloxane, baked enamel, electroplated enamel, electroless nickel, coated elastomer, laminated elastomer, dipped latex, sprayed latex, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyurethane, an epoxy resin, or a polyester.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the coating is a hardcoat anodized finish.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the coating further comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

14. An apparatus for dispensing and distributing powder, comprising:

a hopper for containing a powder to be dispensed;

a rotary dispenser for measuring and dispensing a volume of the powder onto a platen, said rotary dispenser being mounted horizontally at the bottom of said hopper;

the platen for carrying the powder, said platen disposed horizontally below said hopper and mounted for linear motion along a first axis from a first platen position below and adjacent to said hopper, to a second platen position adjacent to a build bed;

means for distributing the powder from said platen in the second platen position, over said build bed, said distribution means mounted for linear motion along a second axis generally orthogonal to the first axis;

a cylindrical sleeve having a long axis and two opposed side openings parallel to the long axis, having a first opposed side open to an interior of said hopper and having a second opposed side open to an exterior of said hopper;

said rotary dispenser further comprising;

a cylinder sized and shaped to be closely received within said cylindrical sleeve and rotatably mounted within said cylindrical sleeve, said cylinder further having an elongate recess disposed along a surface of said cylinder, for receiving the powder when the recess is adjacent to the first opposed side opening, and for dispensing the powder when the recess is adjacent to the second opposed side opening; and

wherein the recess is coated with a coating selected from the group consisting of;

anodized finish, hardcoat anodized finish, siloxane, baked enamel, electroplated enamel, electroless nickel, coated elastomer, laminated elastomer, dipped latex, sprayed latex, polyvinyl chloride, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyurethane, an epoxy resin, or a polyester.