EP0420614A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Methods of coating stereolithographic parts
Assignee: 3D Systems Inc
•
Filing: 1990-09-26
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2010-09-26
Abstract
Abstract Methods of coating stereolithographic parts and smoothing over characteristic surface discontinuities having alternating recesses and peaks. A stereolithographic part is first substantially covered with a substance capable of becoming less viscous when heated at a temperature which does not substantially thermally degrade the part, wherein the heated substance has an appropriate surface tension. Then, the substance is heated to that temperature until the substance flows preferentially into the recesses of the surface discontinuities and away from the peaked surface discontinuities. The substance will thereafter form a short surface connection over the recesses of the discontinuities through the surface tension of the heated substance. The substance is then polymerized or hardened either by cooling, thermally setting or by UV curing.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles William Hull
- 👤 Marek Sekowski
- 👤 Richard Noel Leyden
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 10:08
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/0037; B; B05; B05D; B05D1/00; B05D1/02; B05D1/04; B05D1/045; B05D5/00; B05D5/06; B05D5/061; B05D7/00; B05D7/02; B29; B29C; B29C33/00; B29C33/38; B29C33/3842; B29C64/00; B29C64/10; B29C64/141; B29C64/153; B05D2401/00; B05D2401/30; B05D2401/32; B05D3/00; B05D3/06; B05D3/061; B05D3/065; B05D3/067; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/22; H05K3/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for coating the surface of a stereolithographic part having surface discontinuities, comprising the following steps: electrostatically coating the surface of the part with plastic powder particles which melt at a temperature in the range of about 60 to 120 degrees C into a melted powder having an appropriate surface tension; and heating the coated part at said temperature until the plastic particles melt into a melted powder, which flows into discontinuities, and thereafter forms a short surface connection across the discontinuities through the surface tension of the melted powder.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for coating the surface of a stereolithographic part having surface discontinuities, comprising the following steps: electrostatically coating the surface of the part with plastic powder particles which melt at a temperature in the range of about 60 to 120 degrees C into a melted powder having an appropriate surface tension; and heating the coated part at said temperature until the plastic particles melt into a melted powder, which flows into discontinuities, and thereafter forms a short surface connection across the discontinuities through the surface tension of the melted powder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the plastic powder is a thermoset.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the plastic powder is a thermoplastic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the plastic powder is an epoxy.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the plastic powder is a polyester.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the plastic powder is a hybrid epoxy/polyester.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the powder particles have a particle diameter of about 50 microns or more.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the plastic powder is a UV curable plastic powder, and the method further comprises the step of irradiating the coated part with UV light until the melted powder cures.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the part is electrostatically coated with a tribo gun.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the part is electrostatically coated with a corona gun.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the powder is a thermoset which cross-links at a temperature below 120 degrees C, and the method further comprises the step of heating the coated part until the melted powder cures.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for coating the surface of a stereolithographic part having surface discontinuities, comprising the following steps: applying a UV curable liquid, which is capable of becoming less viscous when heated to a temperature in the range of about 60-120 degrees C, to substantially coat the surface of the part, the less viscous liquid having an appropriate surface tension; heating the coated part at said temperature until the liquid becomes less viscous and flows into the discontinuities, and thereafter forms short surface connections across the discontinuities through the surface tension of the liquid; and irradiating the coated part with UV light until the liquid cures.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for coating the surface of a stereolithographic part having surface discontinuities, comprising the following steps: applying a UV curable liquid, which is capable of becoming less viscous when heated to a temperature in the range of about 60-120 degrees C, to substantially coat the surface of the part, the less viscous liquid having an appropriate surface tension; heating the coated part at said temperature until the liquid becomes less viscous and flows into the discontinuities, and thereafter forms short surface connections across the discontinuities through the surface tension of the liquid; and irradiating the coated part with UV light until the liquid cures.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the UV curable liquid is applied by dipping the part into the liquid.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the UV curable liquid is applied by spraying it into the part.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the UV curable liquid contains a volatile solvent.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the liquid comprises about 10-50% by volume of a photocurable resin, about 45-85% by volume of a volatile solvent, about 1-5% by volume of a photoinitiator and about 0.1% or less of a flow control agent.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
216 words
A method for creating a production mold of an object comprising the steps of: building a stereolithographic prototype of the object from liquid resin having a particular melting point, wherein the prototype swells a certain amount when heated to at least about its melting point; coating the prototype with a material having a melting point which is lower than that of the resin, wherein the coating has a thickness at least about as great as the amount of said swelling; immersing the coated prototype into a liquid mold forming substance which hardens around the prototype into a block having an exterior, and drainage holes from the prototype to the exterior, which substance does not thermally degrade when heated to at least about the melting point of the resin; and heating the block in stages, wherein in the first stage, the substance is heated to a temperature at least about the melting point of the coating material but which is below that of the resin plastic such that the coating material melts and drains off through said drainage holes, and wherein in the second stage, the substance is heated to a temperature at least about the melting point of the resin such that the prototype disintegrates and falls out through said drainage holes without breaking said block.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
216 words
A method for creating a production mold of an object comprising the steps of: building a stereolithographic prototype of the object from liquid resin having a particular melting point, wherein the prototype swells a certain amount when heated to at least about its melting point; coating the prototype with a material having a melting point which is lower than that of the resin, wherein the coating has a thickness at least about as great as the amount of said swelling; immersing the coated prototype into a liquid mold forming substance which hardens around the prototype into a block having an exterior, and drainage holes from the prototype to the exterior, which substance does not thermally degrade when heated to at least about the melting point of the resin; and heating the block in stages, wherein in the first stage, the substance is heated to a temperature at least about the melting point of the coating material but which is below that of the resin plastic such that the coating material melts and drains off through said drainage holes, and wherein in the second stage, the substance is heated to a temperature at least about the melting point of the resin such that the prototype disintegrates and falls out through said drainage holes without breaking said block.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
103 words
An improved stereolithographic method of the type in which a part is built up layer by layer at the surface of a liquid, wherein the part has surface discontinuities, the improvement comprising the steps of: applying a substance to the surface which is capable of becoming less viscous when heated at a temperature which does not substantially thermally degrade the part, wherein the less viscous substance has an appropriate surface tension; and heating the substance at said temperature until the substance flows into the discontinuities and forms a short surface connection over the discontinuities through the surface tension of the less viscous substance.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
103 words
An improved stereolithographic method of the type in which a part is built up layer by layer at the surface of a liquid, wherein the part has surface discontinuities, the improvement comprising the steps of: applying a substance to the surface which is capable of becoming less viscous when heated at a temperature which does not substantially thermally degrade the part, wherein the less viscous substance has an appropriate surface tension; and heating the substance at said temperature until the substance flows into the discontinuities and forms a short surface connection over the discontinuities through the surface tension of the less viscous substance.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for coating a stereolithographic part having surface discontinuities comprising the steps of: substantially coating the part surface with a substance which is capable of becoming less viscous when heated to a temperature which does not substantially thermally damage the part, the heated substance having an appropriate surface tension; and heating the coated part to said temperature until said substance flows into the surface discontinuities and forms a short surface connection across the discontinuities through the surface tension of the heated substance.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for coating a stereolithographic part having surface discontinuities comprising the steps of: substantially coating the part surface with a substance which is capable of becoming less viscous when heated to a temperature which does not substantially thermally damage the part, the heated substance having an appropriate surface tension; and heating the coated part to said temperature until said substance flows into the surface discontinuities and forms a short surface connection across the discontinuities through the surface tension of the heated substance.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the substance is a powder.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the substance is a liquid.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the substance is thermally curable at a temperature which does not thermally degrade the part, and the method further comprises the step of heating the coated part at said temperature until the substance cures.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the substance is UV curable, and the method further comprises the step of irradiating the coated part with light until the substance cures.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.