Support structure removal system

• US 8,459,280 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Stratasys Incorporated
• Inventors: Swanson, William J., Mannella, Dominic F., Schloesser, Ronald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): GOLIGHTLY, ERIC WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US13/241,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20130075957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 134/184
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/104 using propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/35 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 71/0009 using liquids, e.g. solvents, swelling agents spectacle cases, e.g. for cleaning contact lenses A45C11/04; disinfecting or sterilising contact lenses A61L12/00, using liquid substances A61L2/20; cleaning involving the use of liquid in general B08B3/00; for hydrating contact lenses B29D11/00067
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/20 Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing

Abstract

A support structure removal system comprising a vessel and a second component. The vessel comprises a vessel body, a porous floor configured to retain a three-dimensional part, and an impeller rotatably mounted below the porous floor. The second component comprises a surface configured to operably receive the vessel, and a rotation-inducing assembly located below the surface, where the rotation-inducing assembly is configured to rotate the impeller with magnetic fields when the vessel is received on the surface of the second component to agitate and direct flows of an aqueous fluid through the porous floor.

Claims

1. A support structure removal system comprising:

a vessel comprising;

a vessel body having a top opening, the vessel body being configured to retain an aqueous fluid;

a porous floor supported by the vessel body, wherein the porous floor is configured to retain a three-dimensional part inserted through the top opening; and

an impeller rotatably mounted below the porous floor; and

a second component comprising;

a surface configured to operably receive the vessel; and

a rotation-inducing assembly located below the surface, the rotation-inducing assembly being configured to rotate the impeller with magnetic fields when the vessel is received on the surface of the second component to agitate and direct flows of the aqueous fluid through the porous floor.

2. The support structure removal system of claim 1, and further comprising at least one heating element configured to heat the aqueous fluid.

3. The support structure removal system of claim 1, wherein the rotation-inducing assembly is configured to rotate the impeller with the magnetic fields in a first rotation direction and a second rotational direction that is counter to the first rotational direction.

4. The support structure removal system of claim 1, wherein the rotation-inducing assembly comprises a magnet assembly, and wherein the support structure removal system further comprises a magnetic hub secured to the impeller.

5. The support structure removal system of claim 1, wherein the second component comprises a base unit configured to receive the vessel, and wherein the vessel body further comprises a floor that is integrally formed with the vessel body to define a sealed interior volume below the top opening.

6. The support structure removal system of claim 1, wherein the second component comprises a reservoir tank having tank walls integrally formed with the surface, which define an interior volume configured to retain a supply of the aqueous fluid.

7. The support structure removal system of claim 6, wherein the vessel body comprises at least one lateral opening for filling the vessel with the aqueous solution when the vessel is inserted in the reservoir tank.

8. The support structure removal system of claim 7, wherein the vessel body defines a bottom opening of the vessel located below the impeller.