Particle for solid freeform fabrication, powder for solid freeform fabrication, device for manufacturing solid freeform fabrication object, method of manufacturing solid freeform fabrication object, and particle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11045978-B2
Application number	US-201816184244-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2018
Priority date	Nov 9, 2017
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A particle for solid freeform fabrication having a columnar form has end surfaces and a side surface, wherein one of the end surfaces partially covers the side surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A particle for solid freeform fabrication having a columnar form having end surfaces and a side surface,
wherein the particle comprises at least one perimeter area continuous with one of the end surfaces via a curved surface so as to partially cover the side surface.

2. The particle according to claim 1 , wherein one of the end surfaces covers an entire circumference of the side surface.

3. The particle according to claim 1 , wherein the end surfaces comprise a first surface and a second surface.

4. A powder comprising:
the particle of claim 1 .

5. The powder according to claim 4 , wherein, in an area of the side surface covered with one of the end surfaces, a minimum length of the columnar form along a height direction is at least 1 μm.

6. The powder according to claim 4 , wherein the particle accounts for 50 percent or more of the powder on a number basis.

7. The powder according to claim 4 , wherein the particle accounts for 70 percent or more of the powder on a number basis.

8. The powder according to claim 4 , wherein the end surfaces are substantially truly circular, substantially ellipsoidal, or substantially polygonal.

9. The powder according to claim 4 , wherein the particle is substantially prismatic.

10. The powder according to claim 9 , wherein the particle being substantially prismatic accounts for 40 percent or more of the powder on a number basis.

11. The powder according to claim 4 , wherein the particle comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polybutylene terephthalate, polyamide, polyacetal, and polyether ether ketone.

12. A device for manufacturing a solid freeform fabrication object, comprising:
the powder of claim 4 ;
an accommodating device configured to accommodate the powder of claim 4 ;
a layer forming device configured to form a layer comprising the powder of claim 4 ; and
a melting device configured to melt the layer with electromagnetic irradiation.

13. A method of manufacturing a solid freeform fabrication object, comprising:
forming a layer comprising the powder of claim 4 ; and
melting the layer by electromagnetic irradiation.

14. A method of manufacturing the powder for solid freeform fabrication of claim 4 , comprising:
forming a material constituting the powder into fibrous materials;
unifying the fibrous materials disposed side by side in a same direction to form a unified material;
cutting the unified material to obtain a cut article; and
stirring the cut article.

15. A method of manufacturing a powder for solid freeform fabrication, comprising:
forming a material constituting the powder into fibrous materials;
unifying the fibrous materials disposed side by side in a same direction to form a unified material;
cutting the unified material to obtain a cut article; and
melting at least one end surface of the cut article so that the particle comprises at least one perimeter area continuous with one end surface via a curved surface so as to partially cover a side surface of the cut article.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the fibrous materials are heated under a pressure in the unifying.

17. A particle having a columnar form having end surfaces and a side surface,
wherein the particle comprises at least one perimeter area continuous with one of the end surfaces via a curved surface so as to partially cover the side surface.

18. The particle of claim 17 , wherein both of the end surfaces at least partially cover the side surface.

19. The particle of claim 18 , wherein both of the end surfaces covers an entire circumference of the side surface.

20. The particle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the end surfaces is formed by melting after cutting to partially cover the side surface.

Assignees

• Iwatsuki Hitoshi
• Yamashita Yasuyuki
• KAMODA Kiichi
• Mutoh Toshiyuki
• Aman Yasutomo
• Iseki Toshiyuki
• Naruse Mitsuru
• Saito Akira
• Higuchi Shinzo
• Iida Sohichiroh
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Iwatsuki Hitoshi
• Yamashita Yasuyuki
• KAMODA Kiichi
• Mutoh Toshiyuki
• Aman Yasutomo
• Iseki Toshiyuki
• Naruse Mitsuru
• Saito Akira
• Higuchi Shinzo
• Iida Sohichiroh

Classifications

• B33Y70/00

  Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• C08J2371/10

  from phenols · CPC title

• C08J3/12

  Powdering or granulating · CPC title

• B29B2009/125

  Micropellets, microgranules, microparticles · CPC title

• C08J2329/14

  Homopolymers or copolymers of acetals or ketals obtained by polymerisation of unsaturated acetals or ketals or by after-treatment of polymers of unsaturated alcohols · CPC title