Patent AT216283B successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6630009B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6630009B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Metallic filled pastes
Assignee: 3D Systems Inc
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Filing: 2002-04-03
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Granted: 2003-10-07
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Expires: 2022-04-03
Abstract
Abstract A paste composition, including a binding agent charged with metallic powder, to be used in a solid freeform fabrication procedure, comprising:a) a solidifiable binding agent comprised of at least one polymerizable resin, with a viscosity of less than 4000 mPa.s, measured at 25° C.;b) at least one initiator, in a concentration greater than about 0.1% by mass with respect to the mass of the resin; andc) a mixture of at least two metallic powders, said mixture having a volumetric concentration greater than 40% with respect to the composition, wherein said mixture of metal powders is either i) a bimodal or trimodal mixture in nature, or ii) is a majority of stainless steel with an amount of NiB or NiP and combinations thereof effective to lower the sintering temperature.
Inventors
- 👤 Khalil M. Moussa
- 👤 Kenneth J. Newell
- 👤 Catherine Hinczewski
- 👤 Charles H. Zenuk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:25
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/004; G03F7/0047; B; B22; B22F; B22F1/00; B22F1/10; B22F1/103; B22F10/00; B22F10/10; B22F10/12; B29; B29C; B29C64/00; B29C64/10; B29C64/165; B33; B33Y; B33Y70/00; B33Y70/10; G03F7/0037; B22F2999/00; B33Y10/00; B33Y80/00; H; H05; H05K; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/09; H05K1/092; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P10/00; Y02P10/25; Y10; Y10S; Y10S430/00; Y10S430/145; Y10S430/146
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A paste composition, including a binding agent charged with metallic powder, to be used in a solid freeform fabrication procedure, comprising: a) a solidifiable binding agent comprised of at least one polymerizable resin, with a viscosity of less than 4000 mPa.s, measured at 25° C.; b) at least one initiator, in a concentration greater than 0.1% by mass with respect to the mass of the resin; and c) a mixture of at least two metallic powders, said mixture having a volumetric concentration greater than 50% with respect to the composition, wherein said mixture of metal powders is either i) a bimodal or trimodal mixture of particles of different size, or ii) is a majority of stainless steel with an amount of NiB or NiP and combinations thereof effective to lower sintering temperature.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
A paste composition, including a binding agent charged with metallic powder, to be used in a solid freeform fabrication procedure, comprising: a) a solidifiable binding agent comprised of at least one polymerizable resin, with a viscosity of less than 4000 mPa.s, measured at 25° C.; b) at least one initiator, in a concentration greater than 0.1% by mass with respect to the mass of the resin; and c) a mixture of at least two metallic powders, said mixture having a volumetric concentration greater than 50% with respect to the composition, wherein said mixture of metal powders is either i) a bimodal or trimodal mixture of particles of different size, or ii) is a majority of stainless steel with an amount of NiB or NiP and combinations thereof effective to lower sintering temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The composition according to with claim 1 , wherein the resin does not contain a benzene ring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the resin is a photopolymer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The composition according to with claim 3 , wherein the resin is an acrylate type resin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The composition according to claim 4 , wherein the resin is ditrimethylol propane tetraacrylate resin.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The composition according to claim 1 , wherein mixture of the metallic powders is present in a volumetric concentration greater than about 50% with respect to the composition and includes at least about 30% by volume of spherical particles with respect to the powder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The composition according to claim 1 , wherein mixture of the metallic powders is selected from the group of powders consisting of iron, steel, stainless steel, titanium, titanium alloy, copper, tungsten, tungsten carbide, nickel alloy, nickel boron, nickel phosphorus and blends thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The composition according to claim 1 , wherein each powder in the mixture of metallic powders has a particle size of less than about 45 μm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
193 words
The composition according to claim 1 , wherein it additionally includes at least one of the following additives: a) a rheological control agent dispersed or dissolved in the resin in a concentration of about 1 to about 15% by weight with respect to the weight of the resin, b) a reactive or non-reactive diluent with a viscosity less than 100 mPa.s, in a concentration from about 2 to about 20% by weight with respect to the weight of the resin, c) an agent dissolved or not in the resin, allowing for the increase of the composition's reactivity with respect to illumination, d) a coupling agent in concentrations from about 0.1 to about 0.3% by weight with respect to the metallic powder, e) a wetting and/or dispersant agent in a concentration of less than about 1% by weight with respect to the metallic powder, f) a lubricant in a concentration of less than about 0.5% by weight with respect to the metallic powder, g) a carbon collector, h) an adhesive agent, or i) additives in the form of a metallic powder, presenting a melting point lower than that of the mixtures of metallic powders.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the particles forming the metallic powder are coated in a coating which limits the absorption of light by the particles.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The composition according to claim 10 , wherein the coating is comprised of a wax or a layer of oxidation formed by the oxidation of the particles forming the metallic powder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The composition according to claim 1 , wherein mixture of metallic powders is comprised of a homogenous blend of metallic powders, of the same nature or not, of at least two different particles sizes, with a particle size ratio of between about 10:1 and about 5:1.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the initiator is a photoinitiator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the photoinitiator is an α-amino-ketone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The composition according to claim 14 , wherein the photoinitiator is 2-benzyl-2-dimethylamino-1-(4-morpholinophenyl)-butanone-1.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The composition according to claim 15 , wherein it includes an activation agent such as isopropyl thioxanthone, 1-chloro-4-propoxythioxanthone, or 4-benzoyl-4′-methyldiphenyl sulfide, or a blend of at least two thereof, in combination with a co-initiator such as ethyl p-dimethylaminobenzoate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the initiator is a thermal initiator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The composition according to claim 17 , wherein the initiator is peroxide based.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The composition according to claim 17 , wherein the initiator includes azo bis-iso-butronitrile.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The composition according to claim 18 , wherein the initiator includes onium and pyridinium salts.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The composition according to claim 17 , wherein the resin is an epoxy with a protected amine group.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
100 words
The procedure for obtaining metallic products from the paste composition of claim 1 , comprising the steps of: a) forming a composite product comprised of thin superimposed layers of paste, obtained by the repetition of a cycle including the following stages: transforming the layer which was just created by polymerization of the binding agent, coating of the transformed layer by a new non-transformed layer, b) removing the polymer contained in the composite product obtained in the preceding step a) by a thermal treatment called the debinding step, and c) sintering the debinded metallic product obtained in the preceding step b).
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The procedure according to claim 22 , wherein during the forming step, the layers of paste created have a thickness of less than about 150 μm.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
47 words
The procedure according to claim 22 wherein the debinding step is performed under a neutral or reducing gas system or under vacuum and may or may not be followed by an additional dosage treatment of carbon residues in the presence of oxygen, carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
63 words
The procedure according to claim 22 , wherein the thermal cycle of the debinding step includes rapid heating stages in the temperature zones in which the binding agent degrades little or not at all and slow heating stages and pauses in the zones in which the binding agent is rapidly degraded, comprising a complete cycle with a duration of less than 48 hours.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
35 words
The procedure according to claim 22 , wherein the sintering stage induces the consolidation of the product by densification of the porous debinded product, at a temperature lower than the melting point of the metal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
The procedure according to claim 22 , wherein the sintering stage is performed under a neutral or a reducing gas system or under vacuum.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
81 words
The procedure according to claim 22 , wherein during sintering stage, the thermal cycle includes rapid heating stages, greater than or equal to about 5° C./min, in temperature zones in which the debinded product does not undergo transformation and slow heating stages, less than or equal to about 1° C./min, or stabilization stages lasting less than 1 hour, in zones in which the debinded product undergoes physical transformations, and a sintering stage lasting between about 30 minutes and about 5 hours.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The debinded and sintered metallic product obtained by the procedure according to claim 22 .
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
The product according to claim 29 , wherein it presents less than about 2% by mass of carbon residue with respect to the mass of the resin in the initial composition.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
53 words
The product according to claim 29 , wherein it has temporary support elements, created in such a way that, in a radius of 1.5 mm, there are at least two distinct points pertaining to two distinct solidified support elements on a single layer in order to support the overhanging parts of the product.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-10-06 | 2007-04-07 | 2007-10-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-10-06 | 2011-04-07 | 2011-10-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-10-06 | 2015-04-07 | 2015-10-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |