Three dimensional printing system with improved reliability, safety, and quality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11760032-B2
Application number	US-202117235205-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2021
Priority date	Jun 2, 2017
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A three dimensional printing system includes a vertical support, a support plate, a resin vessel, a fluid spill containment vessel, and a light engine. The support plate is affixed to the vertical support at a proximal end. The support plate has an inner surface defining a first central opening. The resin vessel is supported above the support plate and has an inner edges surrounding a second central opening. The resin vessel includes a transparent sheet that closes the second central opening. The fluid spill containment vessel is supported below the support plate and includes a transparent window. The light engine is supported below the fluid spill containment vessel. The first central opening, the second central opening, and the window laterally overlap to provide an optical path whereby the light engine can project light upwardly to a build plane in the resin vessel.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A three dimensional printing system, the three dimensional printing system defined along mutually orthogonal axes including a lateral X-axis, a lateral Y-axis, and a vertical Z-axis, the three dimensional printing system comprising:
a vertical support extending along the vertical Z-axis and having a front side and an opposing back side with respect to the lateral X-axis and including a vertical track mounted to the back side;
a support plate mounted to the vertical support and extending along the lateral X-axis from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end coupled to the vertical support;
a resin vessel supported by the support plate and configured to contain a photocurable resin;
a carriage mounted in sliding engagement with the vertical track, the carriage including a pair of fixture receiving arms that extend along the lateral X-axis from the back side to the front side of the vertical support, the pair of fixture receiving arms spaced apart with respect to the lateral Y-axis;
a support fixture supported between the fixture receiving arms and over the resin vessel, the support fixture having a lower surface configured to support a three dimensional article of manufacture formed by the three dimensional printing system;
a motor system mounted to the back side of the vertical support, the motor system configured to drive the carriage along the vertical track;
a light engine configured to selectively project pixelated light up through the resin vessel to selectively form layers of the three dimensional article of manufacture onto the lower surface of the support fixture; and
a controller configured to operate the motor system and the light engine to fabricate the three dimensional article of manufacture.

2. The three dimensional printing system of claim 1 further comprising a lead screw extending behind the back side of the vertical support and coupled to the motor system and configured to translate the carriage along the vertical track when the motor system rotates the lead screw.

3. The three dimensional printing system of claim 1 wherein the light engine is coupled to the vertical support.

4. The three dimensional printing system of claim 3 wherein the light engine is coupled to the front side of the vertical support.

5. The three dimensional printing system of claim 3 further comprising a support bracket coupled to the vertical support and supporting the light engine, the support bracket extends away from the front side of the vertical support along the lateral X-axis.

6. The three dimensional printing system of claim 1 wherein the support plate includes a raised ridge between an upper surface and a central opening, the resin vessel defines a central opening and includes a transparent sheet that closes the central opening, the raised ridge is configured to engage and tension the transparent sheet when the resin vessel is supported by the support plate.

7. The three dimensional printing system of claim 6 wherein further comprising a pair of latch features configured to apply a downward force upon the resin vessel to increase a force and tension exerted by the raised ridge upon the transparent sheet.

8. The three dimensional printing system of claim 1 , the controller is configured to fabricate the three dimensional article of manufacture according to the following steps:
(a) operate the motor system to position a lower face of the support fixture or the three dimensional article of manufacture at a build plane within the resin vessel;
(b) operate the light engine to selectively harden a layer of the photocurable resin onto the lower surface of the support fixture or a lower face of the three dimensional article of manufacture; and
(c) repeat (a) and (b) to complete fabrication of the three dimensional article of manufacture.

9. The three dimensional printing system of claim 8 wherein the three dimensional printing system includes a lead screw coupled to the motor system, operating the motor system includes rotating the lead screw to drive the carriage along the vertical Z-axis.

10. A method of fabricating a three dimensional article of manufacture comprising:
providing a three dimensional printing system, the three dimensional printing system defined along mutually orthogonal axes including a lateral X-axis, a lateral Y-axis, and a vertical Z-axis, the three dimensional printing system including:
a vertical support extending along the vertical Z-axis and having a front side and an opposing back side with respect to the lateral X-axis and including a vertical track mounted to the back side;
a support plate mounted to the vertical support and extending along the lateral X-axis from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end coupled to the vertical support;
a resin vessel supported by the support plate and configured to contain a photocurable resin;
a carriage mounted in sliding engagement with the vertical track, the carriage including a pair of fixture receiving arms that extend along the lateral X-axis from the back side to the front side of the vertical support, the pair of fixture receiving arms spaced apart with respect to a lateral Y-axis;
a support fixture supported between the fixture receiving arms and over the resin vessel, the support fixture having a lower surface configured to support a three dimensional article of manufacture formed by the three dimensional printing system;
a motor system mounted to the back side of the vertical support, the motor system configured to drive the carriage along the vertical track;
a light engine configured to selectively project pixelated light up through the resin vessel to selectively form layers of the three dimensional article of manufacture onto the lower surface of the support fixture; and
a controller coupled to the motor system and the light engine; and

operating the controller to fabricate three dimensional article of manufacture.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the three dimensional printing system further includes a lead screw extending behind the back side of the vertical support and coupled to the motor system and configured to translate the carriage along the vertical track when the motor system rotates the lead screw.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the light engine is coupled to the vertical support.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the light engine is coupled to the front side of the vertical support.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the three dimensional printing system further includes a support bracket coupled to the vertical support and supporting the light engine, the support bracket extends away from the front side of the vertical support along the lateral X-axis.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the support plate includes a raised ridge between an upper surface and a central opening, the resin vessel defines a central opening and includes a transparent sheet that closes the central opening, the raised ridge is configured to engage and tension the transparent sheet when the resin vessel is supported by the support plate.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the three dimensional printing system further includes a pair of latch features configured to apply a downward force upon the resin vessel to increase a force and tension exerted by the raised ridge upon the transparent sheet.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein operating the controller to fabricate the three dimensional article of manufacture includes:
(a) operate the motor system to position a lower face of the support fixture or the three dimensional article of manufacture at a b

Assignees

• 3D Systems Inc

Inventors

• Tanner Christopher

Classifications

• B33Y30/00 Primary

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B29C64/40 Primary

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

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/124

  using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified · CPC title

• B29C64/255

  Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers · CPC title