Rapid prototyping apparatus
First Claim
1. An 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 controllable to dispense a material in liquid form;
a lamp controllable to provide radiation to irradiate the material; and
a controller operative to control the printing head to dispense the material and sequentially form the layers and the lamp to irradiate the dispensed material;
wherein the lamp comprises an array of LEDs controllable to provide the radiation and wherein the controller is operative to operate at any time during production of the object, a first portion of the LEDs of the array at a higher radiation intensity than a second portion of the LEDs of the array.
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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.
33 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An 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 controllable to dispense a material in liquid form; a lamp controllable to provide radiation to irradiate the material; and a controller operative to control the printing head to dispense the material and sequentially form the layers and the lamp to irradiate the dispensed material; wherein the lamp comprises an array of LEDs controllable to provide the radiation and wherein the controller is operative to operate at any time during production of the object, a first portion of the LEDs of the array at a higher radiation intensity than a second portion of the LEDs of the array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for producing an object by sequentially forming thin layers of material one on top of the other responsive to data defining the object, the method comprising:
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dispensing a material in liquid form with at least one printing head; irradiating the material with an array of LEDs; controlling the irradiation of the array of LEDs during the producing; and controlling the dispensing to sequentially form the layers, wherein controlling the irradiation of the array of LEDs includes operating at any time during the production a first portion of the LEDs of the array at a higher radiation intensity than a second portion of the LEDs of the array. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An 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 controllable to dispense a material in liquid form; a lamp controllable to provide radiation to irradiate the material; and a controller operative to control the printing head to dispense the material and sequentially form the layers and the lamp to irradiate the dispensed material; wherein the lamp comprises an array of LEDs controllable to provide the radiation and wherein the controller is operative to alter operation of at least a portion of the LEDs during production of the object so that a first portion of the LEDs of the array is radiated at a higher radiation intensity than a second portion of the LEDs of the array. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A method for producing an object by sequentially forming thin layers of material one on top of the other responsive to data defining the object, the method comprising:
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dispensing a material in liquid form with at least one printing head; irradiating the material with an array of LEDs; controlling the irradiation of the array of LEDs during the producing; and controlling the dispensing to sequentially form the layers, wherein controlling the irradiation of the array of LEDs includes altering operation of at least a portion of the LEDs during the production of the object so that a first portion of the LEDs of the array is radiated at a higher radiation intensity than a second portion of the LEDs of the array. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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Specification