Method for manufacturing structural body and manufacturing apparatus therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10279546-B2
Application number	US-201414897226-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2014
Priority date	Jun 18, 2013
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a structural body includes: forming a model forming layer from a liquid model forming material on an existing surface formed of at least one of prepared model forming layer and support member; while a defining surface of a defining member defining the upper surface of the model forming layer is in contact therewith; supplying a support material to fill between the existing surface and the defining surface and solidifying the support material into a support member to form a layer of the model forming layer and the support member; removing the defining member; and providing a layer of a model forming layer and a support member on the surface of the layer exposed by removal of the defining member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a structural body in which while an in-process structural body is supported by a support member on a model forming table, a model forming layer which forms the structural body is laminated to form the structural body, the method comprising the steps of:
supplying a liquid model forming material for forming the model forming layer directly on a surface of the in-process structural body using a liquid ejector to eject the liquid model forming material directly on the surface of the in-process structural body;
while a defining surface of a defining member which defines an upper surface of the model forming layer on the surface of the in-process structural body is in contact with the upper surface of the model forming layer, loading a support material which forms the support member into a space, defined by the surface of the in-process structural body, a side surface of the model forming layer, and the defining surface, at a periphery of the model forming layer so as to fill the space and forming the support member by solidifying the support material to form a layer formed by the support member and the model forming layer; and
removing the defining member from the layer formed by the support member and the model forming layer.

2. The method for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 1 , further comprising, after the step of removing the defining member, a step of providing a further model forming layer formed of the liquid model forming material, on the surface formed of the model forming layer and the support member which is exposed by the removal of the defining member.

3. The method for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 2 , wherein the further model forming layer overhangs the support member on which the further model forming layer is provided.

4. The method for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 1 , wherein in the step of supplying a liquid model forming material, the liquid model forming material is supplied on the surface of the in-process structural body by ejecting the liquid model forming material from a liquid ejection head which ejects a liquid.

5. The method for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid model forming material is cured by UV light irradiation, and in the step of forming a model forming layer, the model forming layer is formed by irradiating the liquid model forming material with UV light while the defining surface and the upper surface of the model forming layer opposite to the surface of the in-process structural body are in contact with each other.

6. The method for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 5 , wherein the liquid model forming material is irradiated with the UV light through the defining surface of the defining member.

7. The method for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 1 , wherein in the loading, the support material is loaded into the space by injecting the support material in a liquid state into the space.

8. The method for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 7 , wherein in the solidifying of the support material, the injected support material is solidified by cooling the support material.

9. An apparatus for manufacturing a structural body in which while an in-process structural body is supported by a support member, a model forming layer which forms the structural body is laminated to form the structural body, the apparatus comprising:
a model forming table on which the in-process structural body is placed;
a liquid ejector configured to eject a liquid model forming material for forming the model forming layer to be a part of the structural body directly on a surface of the in-process structural body;
a defining member having a defining surface for contacting with an upper surface of the model forming layer;
a lift mechanism connected to the defining member and configured to lower the defining member towards the model forming table and bring the defining member into contact with the upper surface of the model forming layer formed by the liquid ejector on the surface of the in-process structural body; and
a material injector configured to supply a support material forming the support member with a periphery of the model forming layer and to form the support member,
wherein while the defining surface and the upper surface of the model forming layer are in contact with each other by the lift mechanism, the liquid injector supplies the support material into a space, defined by the surface of the in-process structural body, a side surface of the model forming layer, and the defining surface, so as to fill the space and solidifies the support material to form the support member, and
the lift mechanism removes the defining member from a layer formed of the support member formed by the material injector and the model forming layer formed by the liquid ejector.

10. The apparatus for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 9 , wherein the liquid ejector provides a further model forming layer, on the surface of the layer formed of the model forming layer and the support member which is exposed by removing the defining member by the lift mechanism.

11. The apparatus for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 10 , wherein the further model forming layer overhangs the support member on which the further model forming layer is provided.

12. The apparatus for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 9 , wherein the liquid ejector includes a liquid ejection head which ejects a liquid, and the liquid ejection head ejects the liquid model forming material on the surface of the in-process structural body.

13. The apparatus for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 9 , wherein the liquid ejector further includes a UV light source and irradiates the liquid model forming material with UV light.

14. The apparatus for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 9 , wherein the defining member is formed of a material which allows UV light to pass therethrough, and a UV light source is inside the defining member and the model forming layer forming device irradiates the liquid model forming material with UV light through the defining member.

15. The apparatus for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 9 , wherein the material injector supplies the support material into the space by injecting the support member in a liquid state into the space.

16. The apparatus for manufacturing a structural body according to claim 15 , wherein the material injector solidifies the support material by cooling the support material.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Taniuchi Hiroshi
• Nakajima Kazuhiro

Classifications

• B29C64/264

  Arrangements for irradiation · CPC title

• B29C64/209

  Heads; Nozzles · CPC title

• B29C64/40 Primary

  Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof · CPC title

• B29C64/112

  using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title