EP0322257A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Three dimensional modeling apparatus and method
Assignee: Cubital Ltd
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Filing: 1988-12-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-12-23
Abstract
Abstract A system responsive to coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical object (373) of a desired geometry and comprising apparatus for selectably solidifying a solidifiable material on a sequential layer by layer basis characterized in that following selectable solidification (372) of a given layer, the non-solidified portions thereof are removed and replaced by a removable support material (374) which is not solidifiable under the same conditions as the solidifiable material.
Inventors
- 👤 Itzchak Pomerantz
- 👤 Shalev Gilad
- 👤 Yehoshua Dollberg
- 👤 Barry Ben-Ezra
- 👤 Yehoshua Sheinman
- 👤 Gill Barequet
- 👤 Michael Nagler
- 👤 Avigdor Bieber
- 👤 Mathew Katz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 10:20
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C64/00; B29C64/10; B29C64/106; B29C64/124; B29C64/129; B29C64/135; B33; B33Y; B33Y30/00; B29C64/188; B33Y50/00; B33Y50/02; G; G05; G05B; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/49; G05B2219/49013; G05B2219/49039; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P20/00; Y02P20/50; Y02P20/582
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
A system responsive to coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising: means for selectably solidifying a solidifiable material on a sequential layer by layer basis characterized in that, following selectable solidification of a given layer, the non-solidified portions thereof are removed and replaced by a removable support material which is not solidifiable under the same conditions as the solidifiable material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
68 words
A system responsive to coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising: means for selectably solidifying a solidifiable material on a sequential layer by layer basis characterized in that, following selectable solidification of a given layer, the non-solidified portions thereof are removed and replaced by a removable support material which is not solidifiable under the same conditions as the solidifiable material.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
37 words
A system for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising means for sequentially irradiating a plurality of layers of a solidifiable liquid via erasable masks produced in accordance with received coordinate information.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
37 words
A system for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising means for sequentially irradiating a plurality of layers of a solidifiable liquid via erasable masks produced in accordance with received coordinate information.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
69 words
A system for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising means for sequentially irradiating a plurality of layers of a solidifiable liquid via masks in a non-contacting proximity exposure wherein the masks are produced in accordance with received coordinate information, compensating for distortions resulting from the separation of the masks from the layers and the use of non-collimated illumination in the non-contacting proximity exposure.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
69 words
A system for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising means for sequentially irradiating a plurality of layers of a solidifiable liquid via masks in a non-contacting proximity exposure wherein the masks are produced in accordance with received coordinate information, compensating for distortions resulting from the separation of the masks from the layers and the use of non-collimated illumination in the non-contacting proximity exposure.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
69 words
A method responsive to coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising the step of selectably solidifying a solidifiable material on a sequential layer by layer basis characterized in that, following selectable solidification of a given layer, the non-solidified portions thereof are removed and replaced by a removable support material which is not solidifiable under the same conditions as the solidifiable material.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
69 words
A method responsive to coordinate information for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising the step of selectably solidifying a solidifiable material on a sequential layer by layer basis characterized in that, following selectable solidification of a given layer, the non-solidified portions thereof are removed and replaced by a removable support material which is not solidifiable under the same conditions as the solidifiable material.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
38 words
A method of automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising the steps of sequentially irradiating a plurality of layers of a solidifiable liquid via erasable masks produced in accordance with received coordinate information.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
38 words
A method of automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising the steps of sequentially irradiating a plurality of layers of a solidifiable liquid via erasable masks produced in accordance with received coordinate information.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising the steps of sequentially irradiating a plurality of layers of a solidifiable liquid via masks in a non-contacting proximity exposure wherein the masks are produced in accordance with received coordinate information, compensating for distortions resulting from the separation of the masks from the layers and the use of non-collimated illumination in the non-contacting proximity exposure.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for automatically providing a three-dimensional physical model of a desired geometry and comprising the steps of sequentially irradiating a plurality of layers of a solidifiable liquid via masks in a non-contacting proximity exposure wherein the masks are produced in accordance with received coordinate information, compensating for distortions resulting from the separation of the masks from the layers and the use of non-collimated illumination in the non-contacting proximity exposure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 6 and also comprising the step of compensating the masks for distortions caused by separation of the masks from the layers and the use of non-collimated illumination by means of the application of a linear transformation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 5 and also comprising the step of exposure through the erasable mask in a line-by-line manner.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 2 and wherein said means for sequentially irradiating comprises an electro-optic shutter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 5 or claim 8 and also comprising the step of writing the mask directly onto the surface of the solidifiable liquid.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system according to claim 2 or claim 9 and wherein said means for sequentially irradiating comprises means for writing the mask directly onto the surface of the solidifiable liquid.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
52 words
A system according to any of claims 1, 2, 3, 9 and 11 and wherein said solidifiable liquid comprises an active resin having a given shrinkage coefficient mixed with a second resin having a given expansion coefficient in order to provide a mixture which has a zero or near zero shrinkage coefficient.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
60 words
A method according to any of claims 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 and comprising the step of irradiation of solidifiable material in a pattern such that, as shrinkage occurs and additional solidifiable liquid moves into place to take up the shrinkage and is solidified, uniform thickness of the entire solidified portion of the solidifiable liquid layer is maintained.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
27 words
A method according to any of claims 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 and comprising the steps of irradiation of solidifiable material sequentially in complementary patterns.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
55 words
A system according to any of claims 1, 2, 3, 9, 11 and 12 and also comprising: means for providing coordinate information with respect to a three-dimensional element; means arranged to receive the coordinate information from the providing means and manipulate of the coordinate information so as to adapt it for use in three-dimensional modeling.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system according to claim 2 and also comprising electrophotographic means for generating said mask.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 1 and wherein said support material is removable from said physical model without damaging the shape thereof or requiring disassembly thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 4 and also comprising the step of removing said support material by melting it.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 4 and also comprising the step of removing said support material by application thereto of a solvent.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
53 words
A system according to any of claims 1, 2, 3, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16 and 17 and comprising a mirror whose reflectance can be modulated in accordance with the coordinate information such that parts of the mirror are reflective, while other parts are not, thereby providing selectable illumination of said solidifiable material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system according to claim 1 and also comprising means for removing unsolidified solidifiable material comprising means for applying a solvent to the unsolidified solidifiable material, means for mixing the solvent with the unsolidified solidifiable material and means for suctioning the thus-dissolved unsolidified solidifiable material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 21 and also comprising means for solidifying residual unsolidified solidifiable material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 1 and also comprising means for mechanically machining the layers building up the physical model.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system according to claim 1 and wherein said means for selectably solidifying comprises: means for applying a solidifiable liquid onto a support in layers; and means for irradiating said solidifiable liquid at a solidification plane defined therein, said means for irradiating including means for irradiating said solidifiable liquid through multiple masks.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system according to claim 1 and also comprising means for providing said removable support material in a melted state and means for subsequently cooling said support material for accelerating the hardening thereof.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 1 and comprising fluid strip generating means for removal of non-solidified solidifiable material from said layer, thereby permitting reclamation of said non-solidified solidifiable material.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 4 and also comprising the steps of generating a fluid strip in operative association with said layer for removal of non-solidified solidifiable material therefrom, thereby permitting reclamation of said non-solidified solidifiable material.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system according to claim 16 and also comprising means for magnetic removal and reclamation of material used in generating the mask.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
59 words
A method according to claims 5 or 6 and wherein said step of sequentially irradiating comprises the step of selecting the optical geometry to at least partially compensate for overflow of material used in generating the mask, by deliberately enlarging a light source employed in said irradiating step to enlarge the areas of said layer exposed through said mask.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 15 and also comprising means for selectably associating stored shapes with said three dimensional model.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 1 and wherein at least a portion of said removable support material is removed as a solid unit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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