3D printed object covered with a heat shrink

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11833741-B2
Application number	US-202117915207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2021
Priority date	Mar 31, 2020
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

The invention provides a 3D printed object ( 210 ) and a method of manufacturing such an object ( 210 ) by means of fused deposition modelling. The method successively comprises the steps of (i) 3D printing a printable material ( 120 ) to create a layer stack ( 230 ) of printed material ( 210 ), wherein the layer stack ( 210 ) bounds a space ( 240 ), wherein the layer stack ( 210 ) has an inner stack surface ( 231 ) and an outer stack surface ( 232 ), the inner stack surface ( 231 ) facing towards the space ( 240 ) and the outer stack surface ( 232 ) facing away from the space ( 240 ), (ii) providing a heat shrink ( 250 ) onto the layer stack ( 230 ), wherein the heat shrink ( 250 ) has an inner heat shrink surface ( 251 ) and an outer heat shrink surface ( 252 ), the inner heat shrink surface ( 251 ) facing towards the outer stack surface ( 232 ) and the outer heat shrink surface ( 252 ) facing away from the outer stack surface ( 232 ), and (iii) applying heat to shrink ( 250 ) the heat shrink so that the inner heat shrink surface ( 251 ) is in physical contact with the outer stack surface ( 232 ) and the heat shrink ( 250 ) is conformal to the layer stack ( 230 ). The layer stack ( 230 ) is light transmissive, and the heat shrink ( 250 ) is arranged to provide an optical effect chosen from the group consisting of refraction, diffraction, reflection, diffusion and conversion. The 3D printed object ( 210 ) may be used as a component of a lighting device ( 600 ), such as a lampshade.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing an object by means of fused deposition modelling, the method successively comprising the steps of:
3D printing a printable material to create a layer stack of printed material, wherein the layer stack bounds a space, wherein the layer stack has an inner stack surface and an outer stack surface, the inner stack surface facing towards the space and the outer stack surface facing away from the space,
providing a heat shrink onto the layer stack, wherein the heat shrink has an inner heat shrink surface and an outer heat shrink surface, the inner heat shrink surface facing towards the outer stack surface and the outer heat shrink surface facing away from the outer stack surface, and
applying heat to shrink the heat shrink so that the inner heat shrink surface is in physical contact with the outer stack surface and the heat shrink is conformal to the layer stack,
wherein the layer stack is light transmissive, and
wherein the heat shrink is arranged to provide an optical effect chosen from the group consisting of refraction, diffraction, reflection, diffusion and conversion.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heat shrink is partially reflective and partially light transmissive.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heat shrink is specularly reflective and/or has a reflectance of 85% or higher.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heat shrink comprises a polymer material, and wherein the polymer material comprises at least one of:
a luminescent material for providing the optical effect of conversion, and
reflective particles for providing the optical effect of reflection.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the reflective particles are chosen from the group consisting of flakes, glitters, BaSO 4 particles, Al 2 O 3 particles and TiO 2 particles.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heat shrink comprises a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer comprises a polymer material, and wherein the second layer is a metal layer.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heat shrink comprises a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is a decorative layer chosen from the group consisting of colored layers, patterned layers and textured layers, wherein the second layer is an optical layer for providing the optical effect, wherein the outer heat shrink surface is a surface of the first layer, and wherein the inner heat shrink surface is a surface of the second layer.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the layer stack is transparent.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the layer stack is arranged to provide an optical effect chosen from the group consisting of refraction, diffraction, reflection, diffusion and conversion.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, between the steps of 3D printing the printable material to create the layer stack and providing the heat shrink onto the layer stack the method further comprises the step of arranging a light source relative to the layer stack so that after the step of applying heat to shrink the heat shrink the light source is sandwiched between the heat shrink and the layer stack, wherein the light source is arranged to emit light in a direction towards the layer stack and/or in a direction towards the heat shrink.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heat shrink has a light source integrated therein or attached thereto, so that after the step of applying heat to shrink the heat shrink, the light source is arranged to emit light in a direction towards the layer stack and/or in a direction away from the layer stack.

12. An object comprising a space that is bounded by a layer stack of 3D printed material,
wherein the layer stack has an inner stack surface and an outer stack surface, the inner stack surface facing towards the space and the outer stack surface facing away from the space,
wherein the object further comprises a heat shrink having an inner heat shrink surface and an outer heat shrink surface, the inner heat shrink surface facing towards the outer stack surface and the outer heat shrink surface facing away from the outer stack surface,
wherein the inner heat shrink surface is in physical contact with the outer stack surface and the heat shrink is conformal to the layer stack,
wherein the layer stack is light transmissive, and
wherein the heat shrink is arranged to provide an optical effect chosen from the group consisting of refraction, diffraction, reflection, diffusion and conversion.

13. The object according to claim 12 , wherein the object is a lampshade.

14. The object according to claim 13 , wherein the object further comprises a socket for receiving a light source.

15. A lighting device comprising the object according to claim 13 , wherein the lighting device further comprises a light source that is arranged in the space, and wherein the light source is arranged to emit light towards the layer stack so that at least part of the light emitted by the light source passes through the layer stack to undergo the optical effect provided by the heat shrink.

Assignees

• Signify Holding Bv

Inventors

• Hikmet Rifat Ata Mustafa
• Van Bommel Ties

Classifications

• B29C64/118 Primary

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• B29C63/0065

  Heat treatment · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• F21V1/146

  Frameless shades · CPC title

• F21V1/22

  the material being plastics · CPC title