Rapid prototyping apparatus
First Claim
1. Apparatus for producing an object by sequentially forming thin layers of a construction material one on top of the other responsive to data defining the object, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of printing heads each having a surface formed with a plurality of output orifices and controllable to dispense the construction material through each orifice independently of the other orifices;
a shuttle to which the printing heads are mounted;
a support surface; and
a controller adapted to control the shuttle to move back and forth over the support surface and as the shuttle moves to control the printing heads to dispense the construction material through each of their respective orifices responsive to the data to form a first layer on the support surface and thereafter, sequentially the other layers;
whereineach printing head is dismountable from the shuttle and replaceable independently of the other printing heads; and
whereineach printing head comprises at least one registration structure that matches a registration structure in the shuttle when the printing head is mounted to the shuttle, wherein the shuttle registration structure is different for some printing head mounting positions such that the orifices in the such mounted printing heads are offset relative to orifices of at least some other printing heads in the cross-printing direction by less than a distance between two neighboring orifices on one printing head, wherein the cross-printing direction is a direction parallel to the support surface and perpendicular to a printing direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for producing an object by sequentially forming thin layers of a construction material one on top of the other responsive to data defining the object, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of printing heads each having a surface formed with a plurality of output orifices and controllable to dispense the construction material through each orifice independently of the other orifices; a shuttle to which the printing heads are mounted; a support surface; and a controller adapted to control the shuttle to move back and forth over the support surface and as the shuttle moves to control the printing heads to dispense the construction material through each of their respective orifices responsive to the data to form a first layer on the support surface and thereafter, sequentially the other layers; wherein each printing head is dismountable from the shuttle and replaceable independently of the other printing heads.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. Apparatus for producing an object by sequentially forming thin layers of a construction material one on top of the other responsive to data defining the object, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of printing heads each having a surface formed with a plurality of output orifices and controllable to dispense the construction material through each orifice independently of the other orifices; a shuttle to which the printing heads are mounted; a support surface; and a controller adapted to control the shuttle to move back and forth over the support surface and as the shuttle moves to control the printing heads to dispense the construction material through each of their respective orifices responsive to the data to form a first layer on the support surface and thereafter, sequentially the other layers;
whereineach printing head is dismountable from the shuttle and replaceable independently of the other printing heads; and
whereineach printing head comprises at least one registration structure that matches a registration structure in the shuttle when the printing head is mounted to the shuttle, wherein the shuttle registration structure is different for some printing head mounting positions such that the orifices in the such mounted printing heads are offset relative to orifices of at least some other printing heads in the cross-printing direction by less than a distance between two neighboring orifices on one printing head, wherein the cross-printing direction is a direction parallel to the support surface and perpendicular to a printing direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. Apparatus for producing an object by sequentially forming thin layers of a construction material one on top of the other responsive to data defining the object, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of printing heads each having a surface formed with a plurality of output orifices and controllable to dispense the construction material through each orifice independently of the other orifices; a shuttle to which the printing heads are mounted; a support surface; and a controller adapted to control the shuffle to move back and forth over the support surface and as the shuttle moves to control the printing heads to dispense the construction material through each of their respective orifices responsive to the data to form a first layer on the support surface and thereafter, sequentially the other layers;
whereineach printing head is dismountable from the shuttle and replaceable independently of the other printing heads;
whereineach printing head comprises at least one registration structure that matches a registration structure comprised in the shuttle and when a printing head is mounted to the shuttle its at least one registration structure contacts the corresponding shuttle registration structure and positions the printing head accurately in the shuttle;
whereinthe orifices in each printing head are equally spaced in a linear array having a first orifice located at a first end of the array;
whereinthe at least one registration structure comprised in each printing head and its corresponding shuttle registration structure position the printing heads so that their respective lines of orifices are parallel;
whereinthe at least one registration structure comprised in each printing head and its corresponding shuttle registration structure, position the printing heads so that the first orifice in each printing head is accurately positioned relative to the first orifices of the other printing heads; and
whereindistances of the first orifices from a same plane perpendicular to the lines of orifices are located at distances from the plane in accordance with an expression of the form y(n) =C +n(dy/N), where y is the distance from the plane, C is a constant, N is a number of printing heads, dy is a distance between adjacent orifices in a same printing head and for each of the printing heads, n is a different integer satisfying 0 ≦
n≦
(N−
1). - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification