Apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object

• US 7,052,263 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2002
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Envisiontec Incorporated (Desktop Metal, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Envisiontec GmbH
• Inventors: John, Hendrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luk, Emmanuel S.
• Application Number:
  US10/125,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20020155189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 425/174.4, 264/401
• US Class Current: 425/174.4
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/129 characterised by the energy source therefor, e.g. by global irradiation combined with a mask
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor

Abstract

An apparatus (1) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object (13) includes a trough (7) for holding material (11) which can be solidified under the influence of light. The trough (7) has on its lower side a transparent plate (8). On the transparent plate (8) and side wall (10) of the trough (7) is provided a resilient layer (9) from which solidified material is easier to detach than from the transparent plate (8). An exposure and projection unit (19) serves to expose and solidify the material (11) in the trough (7) from below through the transparent plate (8).

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by solidifying in layers a liquid material which can be solidified under the influence of light at locations corresponding to the cross-section of the object in a layer, said apparatus comprising:

a trough for holding the liquid material over a transparent plate;

a light source;

a device for projecting an area of light onto a surface of the liquid material in contact with a resilient layer selected from a solid resilient material having the properties of silicone according to a cross-section of the object to solidify the liquid material exposed by the light in accord with the cross-section; and

a positioning device for positioning the object being formed relative to the trough for forming additional layers of the object;

the trough comprising a surface layer wherein the solidified material sticks to the surface layer less than to the transparent plate.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the trough surface layer is resilient.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transparent plate and the trough form an exchangeable unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transparent plate forms the bottom of the trough and exposure of the liquid material is effected from below.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device for projecting comprises a multimedia projector with micromirror array technology or with a liquid crystal display.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, the trough further comprising a height that can be less than a height of the object to be formed.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an electromechanical closure for controlling a duration of exposure.

8. The apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to claim 1, wherein the light source essentially emits in the visible spectrum.

9. An apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by solidifying in layers a liquid material which can be solidified under the influence of light at locations corresponding to the cross-section of the object in a layer, said apparatus comprising:

a trough comprising a bottom for holding the liquid material, the bottom comprising a transparent plate;

a light source;

a device for projecting an area of light onto a surface of the liquid material in contact with a resilient layer selected from a solid resilient material having the properties of silicone according to a cross-section of the object to solidify the liquid material exposed by the light in accord with the cross-section; and

a positioning device for positioning the object being formed relative to the trough for forming additional layers of the object;

wherein the device for projecting the area of light comprises a projector with micromirror array technology.

10. The apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object according to claim 9, wherein the light source essentially emits in the visible spectrum.

11. An apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by solidifying in layers a liquid material which can be solidified under the influence of light at locations corresponding to the cross-section of the object in a layer, said apparatus comprising:

a trough with a bottom and side walls for holding the liquid material over a transparent plate;

a light source;

a device for projecting light onto a surface of the liquid material to be exposed according to a cross-section of the object to solidify the liquid material exposed by the light in accord with the cross-section and;

a positioning device for positioning the object being formed relative to the trough for forming additional layers of the object, wherein the surface of the liquid material to be exposed is covered by a transparent plate and the transparent plate is coated with a layer of a resilient material to which the solidified material sticks less than to the transparent plate,

wherein the bottom of the trough and the side walls of the trough are formed by said layer of a material.