Rapid prototyping apparatus
First Claim
1. Apparatus for producing an object by sequentially forming thin layers of a material one on top of the other responsive to data defining the object, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one printing head having a surface formed with at least one output orifice and controllable to dispense a material in liquid form through the orifice;
a wiper; and
a controller adapted to control the at least one printing head to dispense the material and sequentially form the layers, and to move the at least one printing head over the wiper to clean the surface in which the orifices are formed,wherein the wiper is formed with at least one slot that partitions the wiper into a plurality of teeth each having an edge that contacts an orifice surface of a different one of the plurality of printing heads and scrapes excess material from the surface.
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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.
47 Citations
15 Claims
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1. Apparatus for producing an object by sequentially forming thin layers of a material one on top of the other responsive to data defining the object, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one printing head having a surface formed with at least one output orifice and controllable to dispense a material in liquid form through the orifice; a wiper; and a controller adapted to control the at least one printing head to dispense the material and sequentially form the layers, and to move the at least one printing head over the wiper to clean the surface in which the orifices are formed, wherein the wiper is formed with at least one slot that partitions the wiper into a plurality of teeth each having an edge that contacts an orifice surface of a different one of the plurality of printing heads and scrapes excess material from the surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification