EP0250121A2 — Three-dimensional modelling apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 57 words

A three dimensional mapping and modelling system comprising: means for providing coordinate information with respect to a three-dimensional element; workstation means arranged to receive the coordinate information from the providing means and to permit manipulation of the coordinate information; and means responsive to manipulated coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional model of a desired three-dimensional element.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 57 words

A three dimensional mapping and modelling system comprising: means for providing coordinate information with respect to a three-dimensional element; workstation means arranged to receive the coordinate information from the providing means and to permit manipulation of the coordinate information; and means responsive to manipulated coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional model of a desired three-dimensional element.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 60 words

For use in a three dimensional mapping and modelling system including means for providing coordinate information with respect to a three-dimensional element and workstation means arranged to receive the coordinate information from the providing means and to permit manipulation of the coordinate information; means responsive to manipulated coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional model of a desired three-dimensional element.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 60 words

For use in a three dimensional mapping and modelling system including means for providing coordinate information with respect to a three-dimensional element and workstation means arranged to receive the coordinate information from the providing means and to permit manipulation of the coordinate information; means responsive to manipulated coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional model of a desired three-dimensional element.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 18 words

A system responsive to manipulated coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional model of a desired three-dimensional element.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 18 words

A system responsive to manipulated coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional model of a desired three-dimensional element.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 36 words

Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said means for providing a three-dimensional model comprises optical means having optical power for irradiating a layer of a solidifiable liquid via a plotter generated mask.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 42 words

Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said means for providing a three-dimensional model comprises means for accurate positioning and registration of a plurality of pattern masks including a closed loop position monitoring system for governing positioning and registration.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 27 words

Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said means for providing a three-dimensional model also comprises means for generating pattern masks by electrophotographic techniques.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 32 words

Apparatus according to claim 6 and wherein said means for generating pattern masks comprises means for generating pattern masks by the deposition of toner on a glass plate in a desired pattern.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 34 words

Apparatus according to claim 7 and wherein said means for generating pattern masks by deposition comprises means for exposing a charged electrophotographic drum using a laser beam in a line by line writing mode.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 32 words

Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said means for providing a three-dimensional model comprises means for exposing a modelling material through an erasable mask using an electro-optical shutter.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 51 words

Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and wherein said means for providing a three-dimensional model comprises: a disposable container containing a solidifiable liquid; means for irradiating said solidifiable liquid at a solidification plane defined therein; and means for providing relative displacement between the means for irradiating and the container.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 40 words

Apparatus according to claim 10 and wherein said disposable container and said means for irradiating are arranged such that the solidifiable material is maintained entirely out of contact with the means for irradiating and the means for providing relative displacement.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 33 words

Apparatus according to claim 10 and wherein said means for providing relative displacement comprises means for moving the container and the support base together relative to said means for irradiating which is fixed.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 32 words

Apparatus according to claim 10 and wherein said means for providing relative displacement comprises means for moving the apparatus for irradiating relative to the container and the support base which are fixed.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 19 words

Apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein said means for moving comprises means for moving a source of radiation.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 28 words

Apparatus according to claim 13 and wherein said means for moving comprises means for moving optical elements associated with a radiation source and which define an image plane.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus according to claim 10 and wherein said means for providing relative displacement is operated continuously.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 41 words

Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and also comprising means for pre-processing of given geometries in order to enable them to be successfully modelled and means for supplying modified modelling instructions to said means for providing a three-dimensional model.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 24 words

Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and also comprising means for defining a stable layer of solidifiable liquid in a desired plane.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 38 words

Apparatus according to claim 18 and wherein said means for defining comprises means for defining a volume of non-solidifiable support material and means for defining a l ayer of solidifiable liquid over the layer of solid support material.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 23 words

Apparatus according to any of claims 10 - 19 and wherein said solidifiable liquid is formulated to have relatively small amounts of shrinkage.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 45 words

Apparatus according to claim 20 and wherein said solidifiable liquid comprises an active monomer which has a given shrinkage coefficient mixed with another monomer which has a given expansion coefficient in order to provide a mixture which has a zero or near zero shrinkage coefficient.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 55 words

Apparatus according to any of claims 10 - 19 and wherein said means for irradiating is operative to provide irradiation for each layer whereby following initial irradiation of the solidifiable liquid, as shrinkage occurs, additional solidifiable liquid moves into place to take up the shrinkage, and further radiation produces solidification of such additional solidifiable liquid.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 47 words

Apparatus according to any of claims 10 - 19 and wherein said means for irradiating comprises means for patterning the radiation of the liquid layer to restrict shrinkage at any given time to localized areas, whereby the shrinkage can be made up during solidification of adjacent areas.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 51 words

Apparatus according to any of claims 10 - 20 and wherein said solidifiable liquid includes radiation transparent particles in order to reduce the effective volume of curing material for a given volume of solidifiable liquid and therefore to reduce the energy needed to solidify that given volume and reduce the shrinkage.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 32 words

Automatic modelling apparatus comprising means for generating a solid object of given configuration by rolling selectably dimensionable web material in a generally cylindrical configuration and means for selectably dimensioning the web material.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 32 words

Automatic modelling apparatus comprising means for generating a solid object of given configuration by rolling selectably dimensionable web material in a generally cylindrical configuration and means for selectably dimensioning the web material.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 25 words

Automatic modelling apparatus according to claim 25 and wherein said web material is selected form a photoresist film and a thin layer of monomer paste.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 26 words

Automatic modelling apparatus according to claim 25 and wherein said means for selectable dimensioning comprises means for scanning said web material with a modulated laser beam.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 31 words

Automatic modelling apparatus according to claim 25 and wherein said means for selectable dimensioning comprises means for applying radiation through a linear shutter array, a pre-prepared film or an electrophotographic plate.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 34 words

Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and comprising three dimensional zooming means for providing enlarged or reduced size models from the same computer file, while maintaining a desired resolution along each axis.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 24 words

Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims and also comprising means for limiting the depth of solidification of solidifiable liquid by chemical inhibition.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 27 words

Apparatus according to claim 19 and wherein said support material is a solidifiable material which does not solidify under the same conditions as does the solidifiable liquid.

Three-dimensional modelling apparatus

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