EP0499485A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for forming solid objects
Assignee: EIDP Inc
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Filing: 1992-02-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-02-14
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus, where high viscosity liquids, including pseudoplastic, plastic flow, and thixotropic liquids, as well as gels, semi-solid, and solid materials are viscosity reduced during coating and allowed to increase in viscosity during imaging steps, for use in Solid Imaging applications. Use of these materials and the apparatus improves coating uniformity and final object tolerances. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Mario Grossa
- 👤 Roxy Ni Fan
- 👤 John Alan Lawton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:09
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/0037; B; B29; B29C; B29C41/00; B29C41/02; B29C41/12; B29C64/00; B29C64/10; B29C64/106; B29C64/124; B29C64/188; B33; B33Y; B33Y10/00; G05; G05B; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/49; G05B2219/49013
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object comprising the steps of: a) coating a layer of viscosity reduced photoformable composition on a surface; b) allowing said layer to become a viscosity reducible composition layer; c) exposing said layer to radiation imagewise by radiation means in order to photoform said layer imagewise; d) coating a new layer of viscosity reduced photoformable composition over said previously coated layer; e) allowing said new layer to become a viscosity reducible composition layer; f) exposing said new layer to radiation imagewise in order to photoform said new layer imagewise; and, g) repeating steps d) through f) until the three-dimensional object is formed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in Claim 1, wherein said viscosity reduced composition is heat liquefied and said composition becomes viscosity reducible by cooling.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said viscosity reducible composition is a solid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said viscosity reducible composition is a semi-solid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said viscosity reducible composition is a gel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said viscosity reducible composition is a high viscosity liquid.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
24 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in any preceding Claim, wherein said viscosity reducible composition layer(s) substantially supports said photoformed layer(s).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
35 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in any preceding Claim, wherein said viscosity reduced composition is shear-thinned and said composition becomes viscosity reducible by lowering the shear rate applied to said composition.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in Claim 8,wherein said viscosity reduced composition is also heat liquefied and said composition becomes viscosity reducible by cooling and by lowering the shear rate applied to said composition.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
23 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in any preceding Claim, wherein said viscosity reducible composition exhibits pseudoplastic shear-thinning flow characteristics.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
26 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in any of Claims 1 to 9 wherein said viscosity reducible composition exhibits plastic shear-thinning flow characteristics.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
26 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in any of Claims 1 to 9, wherein said viscosity reducible composition exhibits thixotropic shear-thinning flow characteristics.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object comprising the steps of: a) applying an excess coating of viscosity reduced photoformable composition on a surface; b) removing portions of said excess applied coating in order to create a layer; c) allowing said layer to become viscosity reducible; d) exposing said layer to radiation imagewise in order to photoform said layer imagewise; e) applying a new excess coating of viscosity reduced photoformable composition over said previously coated layer; f) removing portions of said new excess applied coating in order to create a new layer; g) allowing said new layer to become a viscosity reducible composition layer; h) exposing said new layer to radiation imagewise in order to photoform said new layer imagewise; and, i) repeating steps e) through h) until the three-dimensional object is formed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in Claim 13, further comprising the step of recovering said removed excess applied composition.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in Claim 13 or 14, wherein portions of said excess applied coating and said new excess applied coating are removed by high speed rotating blades.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in Claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein said viscosity reducible composition layer(s) substantially supports said photoformed layers(s).
Claim 17
Independent Claim
38 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in any of Claims 13 to 16, wherein said excess applied coating and said new excess applied coating is supplied in advance of the motion of a doctor blade.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method of forming a three-dimensional object as recited in Claim 17,wherein said doctor blade is heated.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
77 words
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object comprising: a) means for creating imagewise radiation, said radiation being adapted to create imagewise initiation of photoformation in a viscosity reducible photoformable composition; b) a platform adaptable to maintain a distance relative to said radiation means; and c) a coating means adaptable to coat a viscosity reduced photoformable composition in multiple sequential viscosity reducible composition layers,each of said layers having a thickness, on said platform or on a previous layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object as recited in claim 19,wherein said coating means is further adaptable to apply an excess quantity of said viscosity reduced composition and remove said excess quantity while coating said viscosity reducible layers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object as recited in claim 20, wherein said coating means is adaptable to remove said viscosity reduced composition by a shear rate greater than 1000/sec.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object as recited in claim 19, 20 or 21, wherein said coating means employs heating means.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
49 words
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object as recited in any of claims 19 to 22, further comprising a single ring adaptable to contain said viscosity reduced composition during application, said ring being further adaptable to be separated from said viscosity reducible layer in preparation for subsequent applied layers.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
70 words
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object as recited in any of claims 19 to 22, further comprising rings of substantially the thickness of each of said composition layers, said rings adaptable to substantially contain said viscosity reduced and viscosity reducible composition, and each of said rings adaptable to be positioned on said platform or another said ring prior to the coating of each sequential viscosity reducible photoformable composition layer.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
59 words
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object as recited in any of claims 19 to 22, further comprising: d) a vat, having a surface, said vat adaptable to contain said platform and said sequentially coated layers, wherein said platform translates within said vat, and wherein said coating means applies said layers substantially coplanar to said surface of said vat.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object as recited in claim 25 when dependent on claim 20, further comprising: e) supply means adapted to supply said excess quantity of composition to said surface of said vat.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional object as recited in claim 26,further comprising: f) collecting and recycling means adaptable to collect said removed excess composition and recycle said excess removed composition into said supply means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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