US5134569A — System and method for computer automated manufact…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 148 words

A system for constructing a three-dimensional object from a design created on a computer machine including: a) support means by which said object is supported while being constructed; b) material dispensing means for dispensing a strand of material in a fluent state; c) material treatment means disposed near said strand of material dispensing means for causing said material to undergo a transition from said fluent state to a fixed state in which said material is solidified and built up in a form of said three-dimensional object; and d) control means for generating control signals in response to coordinates of said design of said three-dimensional object and controlling the position of said material dispensing means and said material treatment means relative to said support means in response to said control signals to control dispensing and transition of said material to construct said object while supported with said support means.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 148 words

A system for constructing a three-dimensional object from a design created on a computer machine including: a) support means by which said object is supported while being constructed; b) material dispensing means for dispensing a strand of material in a fluent state; c) material treatment means disposed near said strand of material dispensing means for causing said material to undergo a transition from said fluent state to a fixed state in which said material is solidified and built up in a form of said three-dimensional object; and d) control means for generating control signals in response to coordinates of said design of said three-dimensional object and controlling the position of said material dispensing means and said material treatment means relative to said support means in response to said control signals to control dispensing and transition of said material to construct said object while supported with said support means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 1 including a gaseous atmosphere in which said support means is disposed.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 15 words

The system of claim 1 including servo means for indexing and positioning said support means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 20 words

The system of claim 3 wherein said servo means and said support means are indexed in at least two dimensions.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

The system of claim 4 wherein said servo means positions and indexes said dispensing means in a third dimension.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said material dispensing means includes an extrusion means which dispenses a generally continuous strand of said material.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

The system of claim 6 wherein said extrusion means includes a nozzle having an orifice through which said strand is dispensed and contoured to have a prescribed cross-sectional profile in accordance with the object being constructed.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 43 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said dispensing means includes profile control means through which said material is dispensed in a generally continuous strand and by which controlling a continuous strand profile of said stand is controlled according to the object being produced.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 18 words

The system of claim 8 wherein said profile control means includes an orifice through which said material passes.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 32 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said material treatment means includes radiation means for focusing a beam of radiation upon said fluid material after said material is dispensed to solidify said material.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 22 words

The system of claim 10 including shield means shielding said dispensing means from said radiation beam for controlling solidification of said material.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system of claim 10 wherein said radiation means includes a plurality of ultraviolet radiation sources disposed in prescribed positions about said dispensing means.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said material treatment means includes a chemical treatment means for subjecting said fluent material to a chemical treatment to fix said fluent material in a form of said three-dimensional object.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 37 words

The system of claim 13 wherein said chemical treatment means includes a chemical mixture within said fluent material which causes said fluent material to solidify in said form of said three-dimensional object after leaving said dispensing means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 33 words

The system of claim 13 wherein said chemical treatment means includes means for mixing a chemical with said fluid material as it is dispensed from said dispensing means to solidify said fluent material.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 26 words

The system of claim 10 wherein said material treatment means includes means for solidifying said fluent material in a form of said three-dimensional object using photopolymers.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 33 words

The system of claim 10 wherein said material treatment means includes treating said fluid material with a laser means for solidifying said fluent material after it is dispensed by said material dispensing means.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 20 words

The system of claim 10 wherein said radiation means includes a beam of heat energy generated by a heat source.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system of claim 18 wherein said control means includes signal generator means for generating said control signals in response to said data file.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 20 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said support means includes a base having a blackened support surface which absorbs radiation.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 29 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said control means includes a data file of said three dimensional coordinates corresponding to said three dimensional design created on said computer machine.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 47 words

The system of claim 1 including an assembly for carrying said material dispensing means and said material treatment means together as a working unit, said assembly being operatively connected to said servo means so that said dispensing means and treatment means are indexed together as a unit.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 21 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said material dispensing means dispenses said fluid material is a form of a fluid strand.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 173 words

A system for automatically constructing a three dimensional object from a design of the three dimensional object created on a computer machine comprising: a) support by which said object is supported while being constructed; b) material dispensing means for dispensing a fluent material in the form of a generally continuous fluid strand for constructing said object; c) material treatment means for focusing a generally concentrated energy beam on said fluid strand after dispensing causing said material to undergo a transition from said fluent state to a fixed state in which said material is solidified to build up in layers and construct said object while supported by said support means; and d) control means for generating control signals in response to said coordinates of said three dimensional design of said object and controlling the position of said dispensing means and said material treatment means relative to said support means in response to said control signals to thereby control dispensing and transition of said material to construct said object while supporting with said support means.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 173 words

A system for automatically constructing a three dimensional object from a design of the three dimensional object created on a computer machine comprising: a) support by which said object is supported while being constructed; b) material dispensing means for dispensing a fluent material in the form of a generally continuous fluid strand for constructing said object; c) material treatment means for focusing a generally concentrated energy beam on said fluid strand after dispensing causing said material to undergo a transition from said fluent state to a fixed state in which said material is solidified to build up in layers and construct said object while supported by said support means; and d) control means for generating control signals in response to said coordinates of said three dimensional design of said object and controlling the position of said dispensing means and said material treatment means relative to said support means in response to said control signals to thereby control dispensing and transition of said material to construct said object while supporting with said support means.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system of claim 24 including means for controlling the time and position at which said concentrated energy beam contacts said fluid strand of material after dispensing.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 22 words

The system of claim 25 including means for controlling the intensity of said concentrated energy beam upon said strand of fluid material.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 45 words

The system of claim 24 wherein said support means comprises a base having a blackened surface which absorbs energy from said energy beam to thereby prevent reflection of energy upon said fluid strand except where it is desired to contact said fluid strand for solidification.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 44 words

The system of claim 24 including servo means for indexing the position of said dispensing means and said support means relative to each other in a stepidized manner having steps sized in accordance with a dimension of a cross-section of said strand of material.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 50 words

The system of claim 24 including shield means shielding said material dispensing means from said concentrated energy beam so that said material is solidified at a prescribed time and positioned to facilitate adherence and build up of said material in said layers to construct said object with reduced shape distortion.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 20 words

The system of claim 29 wherein said shield means comprises an electrically conductive shield which surrounds said material dispensing means.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 17 words

The system of claim 29 including shield means for shielding said material dispensing means from induction heat.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 29 including shield means for shielding said material dispensing means from microwaves.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 100 words

An automatic process for manufacturing a three-dimensional object designed on a computer machine comprising: a) providing a design data file of coordinates representing said three-dimensional design; b) generating control signals based on said design data file; and c) dispensing a strand of material in a fluent state in response to said control signals and treating said strand of material after dispensing in a controlled time and dimensional relationship to said dispensing of said material so that said material undergoes a transition to a fixed physical state in which said material is solidified in an accurate form of said three-dimensional object.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 100 words

An automatic process for manufacturing a three-dimensional object designed on a computer machine comprising: a) providing a design data file of coordinates representing said three-dimensional design; b) generating control signals based on said design data file; and c) dispensing a strand of material in a fluent state in response to said control signals and treating said strand of material after dispensing in a controlled time and dimensional relationship to said dispensing of said material so that said material undergoes a transition to a fixed physical state in which said material is solidified in an accurate form of said three-dimensional object.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 36 words

The process of claim 33 including supporting said material by a support during dispensing; and indexing and moving said support in response to said control signals to assist said material in forming said three dimensional object.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 32 words

The process of claim 34 including indexing said support in two dimensions and indexing and moving a dispensing means for dispensing said material in said fluent physical state in a third dimension.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 13 words

The process of claim 33 including dispensing said material within a gaseous atmosphere.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 26 words

The process of claim 33 including dispensing said material in the form of a strand having a prescribed cross section according to the object being manufactured.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 31 words

The process of claim 33 wherein said object is constructed by dispensing an extrusion in the form of generally continuous strands of said material in layers built up on one another.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 20 words

The process of claim 38 wherein a cross-sectional profile of said extrusion is controlled according to said object being manufactured.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 31 words

The process of claim 38 including controlling a gap dimension between said layers to control the smoothness of said object in accordance with a dimension of a cross-section of said strand.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 170 words

A process for automatically manufacturing a three-dimensional object which has been designed on a computer machine comprising: a) providing a design data file of coordinates representing said three dimensional design as generated by said computer machine; b) generating control signals based on said design data file; c) dispensing a fluid material in a fluent physical state in response to said control signals; d) treating said fluent material by causing a generally concentrated energy beam to physically act upon said fluid material after dispensing in controlled time and dimensional relation to said dispensing of said fluid material to cause said fluid material to undergo a transition to a fixed, physical state in which said material is solidified in a form of said three dimensional object; and e) shielding said dispensing means from said energy beam in a controlled manner so that said energy beam acts upon said fluid material at a prescribed position, intensity, and time so as to cause said material to solidify and accurately construct said three dimensional object.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 170 words

A process for automatically manufacturing a three-dimensional object which has been designed on a computer machine comprising: a) providing a design data file of coordinates representing said three dimensional design as generated by said computer machine; b) generating control signals based on said design data file; c) dispensing a fluid material in a fluent physical state in response to said control signals; d) treating said fluent material by causing a generally concentrated energy beam to physically act upon said fluid material after dispensing in controlled time and dimensional relation to said dispensing of said fluid material to cause said fluid material to undergo a transition to a fixed, physical state in which said material is solidified in a form of said three dimensional object; and e) shielding said dispensing means from said energy beam in a controlled manner so that said energy beam acts upon said fluid material at a prescribed position, intensity, and time so as to cause said material to solidify and accurately construct said three dimensional object.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 49 words

The process of claim 41 dispensing said fluid material with a dispensing means while supporting said dispensing material with a support means; and indexing the relative positions of said dispensing means and support means so that said fluid material is caused to solidify and construct said three dimensional object.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 52 words

The process of claim 42 wherein said material is dispensed in the form of a generally continuous strand having a prescribed cross-sectional profile; and controlling the indexing of said relative position between said dispensing means and support means in accordance with a magnitude of a dimension of a cross-section of said strand.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 27 words

The process of claim 41 including controlling the reflection of said energy beam to prevent its effect upon said fluid material except at said prescribed contact area.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 29 words

The process of claim 41 including dispensing said material in the form of a generally continuous strand and building up said strands on one another to construct said object.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 22 words

The process of claim 45 including indexing said strands as they lay upon one another in two dimensions in constructing said object.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 29 words

The process of claim 41 including controlling the shape of said shield to a optimum curing and treatment conditions to solidify said strand and provide a dimensionally accurate object.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-07-28	1996-01-27	1996-07-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-07-28	2000-01-27	2000-07-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-07-28	2004-01-27	2004-07-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System and method for computer automated manufacturing using fluent material

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag