Three-dimensional printing device

• US 9,839,234 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2015
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), Kinpo Electronics Incorporated (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), XYZprinting, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), Kinpo Electronics Incorporated (Cal-Comp Electronics Public Company Limited), XYZprinting, Inc.
• Inventors: Din, Shih-Jer, Chang, Jui-Feng, Yee, Shy-Huey
• Primary Examiner(s): Evanisko, Leslie J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hinze, Leo T
• Application Number:
  US14/621,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20160193788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 20/20 Making of laminated, multi-layered, stuffed or hollow foodstuffs, e.g. by wrapping in preformed edible dough sheets or in edible food containers
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 2020/253 Coating food items by printing onto them; Printing layers of food products
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes

Abstract

A 3D printing device, which is adapted to print a second object on a first object. The 3D printing device includes a body, a 3D printing unit, a sensor unit, a storage unit, a control unit and a carrier plate. The control unit is electrically connected to the 3D printing unit, the storage unit and the sensor unit. The storage unit stores initial coordinates, and the initial coordinates correspond to an initial printing position of the 3D printing unit. The carrier plate is located at a bottom of the body and has a ocular mark. The first object is adapted to be placed on the carrier plate. The sensor unit senses a height of the first object relative to the carrier plate, and the control unit drives the 3D printing unit to print the second object on the first object according to the height and the initial coordinates.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional printing device, adapted to print a second object on a first object, the three-dimensional printing device comprising:

a body, having a plurality of brackets adapted to move along a height direction of the first object;

a three-dimensional printing unit, movably disposed on the body;

a storage unit, storing initial coordinates, wherein the initial coordinates correspond to an initial printing position of the three-dimensional printing unit;

a carrier plate, detachably disposed at a bottom of the body, and having an ocular mark, wherein the ocular mark indicates a corresponding position of the initial coordinates, and the initial coordinates are aligned with and correspond to a geometric center point of the ocular mark;

a sensor unit, disposed on the brackets; and

a control unit, electrically connected to the three-dimensional printing unit and the body, the storage unit and the sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit is controlled to move synchronously with the brackets and the three-dimensional printing unit in the height direction of the first object to sense a height of the first object relative to the carrier plate, and the control unit drives the three-dimensional printing unit to print the second object on the first object according to the height and the initial coordinates.

2. The three-dimensional printing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first object has a plane, the second object is located on the plane, and the sensor unit is used for sensing the height of the plane relative to the carrier plate.

3. The three-dimensional printing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ocular mark is a ruler scale, and the initial coordinates are within a scope of the ruler scale.

4. The three-dimensional printing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first object and the second object are food.

5. The three-dimensional printing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier plate is a display, and the control unit is electrically connected to the display to control the appearance of the ocular mark on the carrier plate, and the ocular mark is changed to different patterns according to an actual requirement.

6. The three-dimensional printing device as claimed in claim 1, the brackets are correspondingly disposed at opposite sides of the three-dimensional printing unit, and the sensor unit comprises an emitter and a receiver respectively disposed on the brackets disposed at the opposite sides.

7. The three-dimensional printing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a plurality of driving units electrically connected to the control unit and respectively disposed on the brackets.

8. The three-dimensional printing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional printing unit is coupled to the brackets, so as to move synchronously with the brackets along a direction perpendicular to the carrier plate.

9. The three-dimensional printing device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an indicating unit which emits light to indicate the initial printing position for alignment of the carrier plate.

10. The three-dimensional printing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the ocular mark is a ruler scale, and the indicating unit emits light as a reference at the bottom of the body for a geometric center point of the ruler scale to be aligned with.

11. The three-dimensional printing device as claimed in claim 10, wherein a geometric center of the first object is taken as a reference point and aligned with the geometric center point of the ruler scale.