Three-dimensional printer

• US 7,435,368 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Z CORPORATION (A Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kinsley, Joshua P., Zengerle, Walter H. III, Davidson, Thomas, Phillips, Robert A., Berlin, Andrew, Russell, David B., Sweet-Block, Benjamin Daniel, Kisai, Darul, Roche, Kevin, Hernandes, Andres T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Theisen; Mary Lynn F
• Application Number:
  US11/335,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20060141145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 264/113
• 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 64/165 using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/35 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/357 Recycling
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0021 Multi-coloured
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• 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: B33Y 40/20 Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16523 Waste ink transport from caps or spittoons, e.g. by suction Collecting or collectors of waste ink B41J2/1721
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16535 using wiping constructions B41J2/16552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16541 Means to remove deposits from wipers or scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16552 using cleaning fluids

Abstract

A three-dimensional printer uses inkjet-type printheads to rapidly prototype, or print, a three-dimensional model. A powder feeder includes a conveyor system and a metering system to deliver powder to a build area in measured quantities. The powder feeder also includes a vacuum system for loading powder into a feed reservoir or chamber. The vacuum system can also be used to cleanup excess powder. Other powder control features include powder gutters and magnetic powder plows. During printing, a cleaning system operates to remove powder from the printheads. In the event of a printhead or jet failure, the failure can be detected and corrective measures taken automatically. After printing, the model can be depowdered and infiltrated in an enclosure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object, comprising:

a feed reservoir for storing a supply of build material usable to fabricate the object;

a vacuum system having a vacuum inlet plumbed to the feed reservoir;

a build chamber for receiving incremental layers of the build material from the feed reservoir; and

an overflow cavity for receiving an excess quantity of build material transferred from the feed reservoir but not received by the build chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vacuum inlet is coupled to a source of build material, the vacuum system transferring build material from the source of build material to the feed reservoir through the vacuum inlet.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the source of build material is at least one of a container of build material, the build chamber, the overflow cavity, or an area proximate to the feed reservoir or the build chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the source of build material includes the overflow cavity and the build material is automatically transferred from the overflow cavity to the feed reservoir.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the source of build material comprises the build chamber and the build material is automatically transferred from the build chamber to the feed reservoir after an object has been fabricated, the build material comprising at least a portion of the unprinted powder in the build chamber after fabrication.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the source of build material includes the container, and further comprising a mechanism for injecting air into the container.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the source of the build material comprises the container and the build material is automatically transferred from the container to the feed reservoir.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vacuum system comprises a particle filter for filtering particles from the build material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a separator for removing chunks of material from the build material.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one filter disposed within the vacuum system; and

a cleaning mechanism to clean the at least one filter.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein there are a plurality of filters, the cleaning mechanism including a valve system to direct a reversed airflow sequentially through each of the filters to remove accumulated particles.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least one filter maintains airflow and vacuum inside the vacuum system.

13. An apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object, comprising:

a feed reservoir for storing a supply of build material usable to fabricate the object;

a vacuum system having a vacuum inlet plumbed to the feed reservoir;

a build chamber for receiving incremental layers of the build material from the feed reservoir;

a printhead for depositing binder onto the incremental layers of the build material;

a gravity-feed binder delivery mechanism for supply a quantity of binder to the printhead;

an overflow cavity for receiving an excess quantity of build material transferred from the feed reservoir but not received by the build chamber;

a conveyor for moving build material from the feed reservoir toward the build chamber;

a metering system to regulate the quantity of build material delivered from the conveyor to the build chamber; and

an enclosure for holding the object.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

a blower for creating an airflow;

at least one filter for removing build material from the airflow;

a system of ducts for channeling the airflow to the enclosure; and

a tool for blowing compressed air onto the object.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a filtration system to remove infiltrant aerosols from the enclosure.

16. A method of fabricating a three-dimensional object, comprising:

in a feed reservoir, storing a supply of build material usable to fabricate the object;

operating a vacuum system having a vacuum inlet plumbed to the feed reservoir;

in a build chamber, receiving incremental layers of the build material from the feed reservoir; and

in an overflow cavity, receiving an excess quantity of build material transferred from the feed reservoir but not received by the build chamber.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising at least one of:

(i) depositing binder onto the incremental layers of the build material via a printhead;

(ii) supplying a quantity of binder to the printhead with a gravity-feed delivery mechanism;

(iii) moving build material along a conveyor from the feed reservoir toward the build chamber;

(iv) regulating the quantity of build material delivered from the conveyor to the build chamber via a metering system; and

(v) holding the object in an enclosure.