Method of, and apparatus for, applying flowable material across a surface
First Claim
1. A method of applying flowable particulate material across the surface of a substrate in individual superimposed layers to produce a three-dimensional object by selective solidification of the successive layers, in which method the flowable particulate material is introduced, from a material supply which has been introduced into a charging container, into an elongate, cross-sectionally hopper metering shaft over the entire length thereof, the metering shaft is moved back and forth over the substrate and, during the movement, the particulate material introduced is discharged downward in a continuous layer from a slot on the underside of the metering shaft and distributed uniformly, wherein the supply of flowable particulate material is uniformly distributed in the charging container, the charging container is moved over the substrate together with the metering shaft and, during the movement, the metering shaft is filled with flowable particulate material from the material supply such that the filling height in the metering shaft remains constant.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and a device for applying for a flowable material, especially a particulate material, in individual superimposed layers across a support (50), the flowable material being first filled from a stationary feed station (10) into a storage container (24) of an application device. In the application device (30), which travels back and forth across the support, the flowable material is distributed inside the storage container across the entire length of the device and is then metered through a slot into a metering shaft in such a manner that the filling level in the metering shaft remains constant during application of the flowable material from the metering shaft onto the support.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of applying flowable particulate material across the surface of a substrate in individual superimposed layers to produce a three-dimensional object by selective solidification of the successive layers, in which method the flowable particulate material is introduced, from a material supply which has been introduced into a charging container, into an elongate, cross-sectionally hopper metering shaft over the entire length thereof, the metering shaft is moved back and forth over the substrate and, during the movement, the particulate material introduced is discharged downward in a continuous layer from a slot on the underside of the metering shaft and distributed uniformly, wherein the supply of flowable particulate material is uniformly distributed in the charging container, the charging container is moved over the substrate together with the metering shaft and, during the movement, the metering shaft is filled with flowable particulate material from the material supply such that the filling height in the metering shaft remains constant.
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2. A method of applying flowable particulate material across a surface of a substrate in individual superimposed layers to produce a three-dimensional object by selective solidification of the successive layers, said method comprising:
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uniformly distributing flowable particulate material within a charging container, transferring flowable particulate material from the charging container to a metering shaft, discharging flowable particulate material downward in a continuous layer onto a surface of a substrate forming a uniform surface by moving the metering shaft and the charging container back and forth together over the surface of the substrate; while the metering shaft is depositing flowable particulate material, refilling the metering shaft to maintain a constant filling height of flowable particulate material in the metering shaft by transferring flowable particulate material from the charging container to the metering shaft.
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3. An application apparatus for applying flowable particulate material across a surface of a substrate in individual superimposed layers, said apparatus comprising:
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an elongated metering shaft having a pair of opposing walls angled relative to each other, an open top formed between said pair of opposing walls, and a slot along a bottom of said measuring shaft between said pair of opposing walls, the slot is narrower between said opposing walls than the opening; a charging container which is open in an upward direction away from said metering shaft and located above said metering shaft, said charging container having a slot in a side wall proximate to a bottom of said charging container with a cavity from the slot to a top of said charging container, the slot is in communication with the open top of said metering shaft; said charging container includes a distribution device in the cavity spaced from the slot of said charging container; said metering shaft and said charging container move together across a substrate and form a pathway for flowable particulate material to travel and be deposited on the substrate from said metering shaft while maintaining a substantially constant filing height of flowable particulate material in said metering shaft.
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4. An application apparatus for applying flowable particulate material across a surface of a substrate in individual superimposed layers, said apparatus comprising:
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an elongated metering shaft having a pair of opposing walls angled relative to each other, an open top formed between said pair of opposing walls, and a slot along a bottom of said measuring shaft between said pair of opposing walls, the slot is narrower between said opposing walls than the opening; a charging container which is open in an upward direction away from said metering shaft and located above said metering shaft, said charging container having a slot in a side wall proximate to a bottom of said charging container with a cavity from the slot to a top of said charging container, the slot is in communication with the open top of said metering shaft; said metering shaft and said charging container move together across a substrate and form a pathway for flowable particulate material to travel and be deposited on the substrate from said metering shaft while maintaining a substantially constant filing height of flowable particulate material in said metering shaft. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeExone GMBH (Desktop Metal, Inc.)
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Original AssigneePrometal RCT GmbH (Desktop Metal, Inc.)
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InventorsStachulla, Martin, Muller, Alexander, Hochsmann, Rainer, Sonntag, Frank, Krabler, Bernd, Huhn, Stefan
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Primary Examiner(s)Parker; Frederick J
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Application NumberUS12/094,959Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,400 DaysField of Search427/180, 427/202, 118/308, 264/112, 264/113, 264/460, 264/497US Class Current264/113CPC Class CodesB29C 64/135 the energy source being con...B29C 64/153 using layers of powder bein...B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manuf...B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manu...
