US5236812A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Solid imaging method and apparatus
Assignee: DSM BV
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Filing: 1991-01-02
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Granted: 1993-08-17
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Expires: 2011-01-02
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for fabricating integral three-dimensional objects from contiguous layers of a photosensitive composition in an imagewise manner, with an additional photogelled portion or photohardened wall, or both, surrounding the three-dimensional object.
Inventors
- 👤 Eustathios Vassiliou
- 👤 Bruce A. Chamberlin
- 👤 John A. Lawton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:03
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C64/00; B29C64/10; B29C64/106; B29C64/124; B29C64/129; B29C64/135; B33; B33Y; B33Y10/00; B29K; B29K2995/00; B29K2995/0037; B29K2995/0072; B29K2995/0073
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A method for fabricating an integral three-dimensional object from a multiplicity of cross sectional portions of the object, the cross sectional portions corresponding to photohardened portions of contiguous layers of a photogellable and photohardenable liquid composition, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a layer of the photohardenable liquid composition; (b) providing a first exposure of actinic radiation to the layer, adequate to produce a soft gelled area, the soft gelled area surrounding a respective cross sectional portion of the object; (c) providing imagewise a second exposure of actinic radiation to the cross sectional portion of the object, adequate to imagewise photoharden said portion; (d) introducing a new layer of photohardenable liquid composition onto the layer subjected to steps (b) and (c); (e) repeating steps (b) to (d) until all layers of the three dimensional object have been photohardened and all soft gelled areas have formed a soft gelled mass surrounding the three dimensional object, the object being separated from the gelled mass by an interface; and (f) removing the soft gelled mass in order to recover the three dimensional object.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
180 words
A method for fabricating an integral three-dimensional object from a multiplicity of cross sectional portions of the object, the cross sectional portions corresponding to photohardened portions of contiguous layers of a photogellable and photohardenable liquid composition, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a layer of the photohardenable liquid composition; (b) providing a first exposure of actinic radiation to the layer, adequate to produce a soft gelled area, the soft gelled area surrounding a respective cross sectional portion of the object; (c) providing imagewise a second exposure of actinic radiation to the cross sectional portion of the object, adequate to imagewise photoharden said portion; (d) introducing a new layer of photohardenable liquid composition onto the layer subjected to steps (b) and (c); (e) repeating steps (b) to (d) until all layers of the three dimensional object have been photohardened and all soft gelled areas have formed a soft gelled mass surrounding the three dimensional object, the object being separated from the gelled mass by an interface; and (f) removing the soft gelled mass in order to recover the three dimensional object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a third exposure of actinic radiation to the periphery of the gelled area, after step (a) and before step (d), the third exposure being adequate to photoharden a complete sector of a circumferencial wall, the wall being built to contain the gelled area.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first exposure of step (b) is repeatable flood exposure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the first exposure is repeatable flood exposure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the third exposure is repeatable flood exposure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as defined in claim 1 or 2, further comprising the step of providing a fourth exposure of actinic radiation at the interface of the object and the gelled area, said fourth exposure being lower than the first exposure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the layers are formed by curtain coating.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the layers are formed by extrusion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the layers are formed by spraying.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the layers are leveled by doctoring.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the photohardenable composition comprises a plastisol.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as defined in claim 11, further comprising the step of heat treating the three dimensional object.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for fabricating an integral three-dimensional object from a multiplicity of cross sectional portions of the object, the cross sectional portions corresponding to photohardened portions of contiguous layers of a photohardenable liquid composition, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a layer of the photohardenable liquid composition; (b) forming a complete sector of a peripheral wall of photohardened composition around the respective cross sectional portion of the three-dimensional object by first exposing said complete sector of the peripheral wall to radiation by flood exposure; (c) providing imagewise a point-by-point exposure of actinic radiation to the cross sectional portion of the object, adequate to imagewise photoharden said cross sectional portion; (d) introducing a new layer of photohardenable liquid composition onto the layer subjected to steps (b) and (c); and (e) repeating steps (b) to (d) until all layers of the three dimensional object and all sectors of the peripheral wall have been photohardened.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for fabricating an integral three-dimensional object from a multiplicity of cross sectional portions of the object, the cross sectional portions corresponding to photohardened portions of contiguous layers of a photohardenable liquid composition, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a layer of the photohardenable liquid composition; (b) forming a complete sector of a peripheral wall of photohardened composition around the respective cross sectional portion of the three-dimensional object by first exposing said complete sector of the peripheral wall to radiation by flood exposure; (c) providing imagewise a point-by-point exposure of actinic radiation to the cross sectional portion of the object, adequate to imagewise photoharden said cross sectional portion; (d) introducing a new layer of photohardenable liquid composition onto the layer subjected to steps (b) and (c); and (e) repeating steps (b) to (d) until all layers of the three dimensional object and all sectors of the peripheral wall have been photohardened.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the layers are formed by curtain coating,
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the layers are formed by extrusion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the layers are formed by spraying.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the layers are leveled by doctoring.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the photohardenable composition comprises a plastisol.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as defined in claim 18, further comprising the step of heat treating the three dimensional object.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of fabricating a three-dimensional object comprising the steps of: (a) forming a layer of photohardenable liquid composition; (b) providing imagewise a first exposure of actinic radiation to the layer, said first imagewise exposure representing a respective cross-sectional portion of the object, and said first imagewise exposure adequate to photoharden the portion imagewise; (c) providing a second imagewise exposure of actinic radiation to the layer, said second imagewise exposure representing a respective cross-sectional segment of a support region, said second imagewise exposure being adequate to photoharden the segment imagewise, and said segment being separated from the object portion by a gap; (d) forming a new layer of photohardenable liquid composition on the layer subjected to steps (b) and (c); (e) repeating steps (b) through (d) until all portions of the object and all segments of the regions have been formed.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of fabricating a three-dimensional object comprising the steps of: (a) forming a layer of photohardenable liquid composition; (b) providing imagewise a first exposure of actinic radiation to the layer, said first imagewise exposure representing a respective cross-sectional portion of the object, and said first imagewise exposure adequate to photoharden the portion imagewise; (c) providing a second imagewise exposure of actinic radiation to the layer, said second imagewise exposure representing a respective cross-sectional segment of a support region, said second imagewise exposure being adequate to photoharden the segment imagewise, and said segment being separated from the object portion by a gap; (d) forming a new layer of photohardenable liquid composition on the layer subjected to steps (b) and (c); (e) repeating steps (b) through (d) until all portions of the object and all segments of the regions have been formed.
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