Method of building up a physical object by additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12232922-B2
Application number	US-201917250132-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2019
Priority date	Jun 15, 2018
Publication date	Feb 25, 2025
Grant date	Feb 25, 2025

Abstract

A method of building up a physical object by additive manufacturing which has the steps of building up the object and at least one support structure layer by layer along a build axis. The support structure supports the object relative to a build platform. During building up the object and the at least one support structure a connection is provided between the support structure and the object by a plurality of layers each of which being a common layer of the object and the support structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of building up a physical object by additive manufacturing, the method comprising the steps of:
building up the object and at least one support structure layer by layer along a build axis, wherein the support structure supports the object relative to a build platform,
during building up of the object and the at least one support structure, providing a connection between the support structure and the object by a plurality of layers each of which being a common layer of the object and the support structure, and
providing the connection between the support structure and the object with at least one void that is filled with non-hardened light hardenable material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a separation plane is defined adjacent a transition between the at least one support structure and the object, wherein the separation plane has a vertical size in a dimension of the build axis and a horizontal size in a dimension perpendicular of the build axis, and wherein the vertical size is greater than the horizontal size.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support structure connects to the object from a direction laterally of the build axis.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support structure forms a constriction which cross-section defines a separation plane.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the constriction forms a predetermined break zone.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support structure comprises a base structure and a connecting structure, and wherein the connecting structure connects the base structure and the object.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the base structure extends parallel or essentially parallel to the build axis, and wherein the connecting structure extends perpendicular or essentially perpendicular to the build axis.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of building up the object and the at least one support structure is based on successively performing the steps of:
providing a layer of a light hardenable material; and
exposing at least a portion of the layer with light appropriate to cause the light hardenable material to harden.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of building up the object and the at least one support structure is based on applying an additive manufacturing process.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object is a dental coping having an occlusal end and a margin end, wherein a cavity extends into the dental coping from the margin end and forming an inner surface of the dental coping.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the support structure extends from outside the cavity into the cavity and connects to the dental coping at the inner surface.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises creating the at least one void by providing a layer of hardenable material and hardening a layer that has a circumferential portion that surrounds a portion of the non-hardened hardenable material.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one void is formed between two layers of hardened hardenable material.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein each common layer of object and at least one support structure comprises a plurality of voids arranged in a row.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises breaking the at least one support structure off from the object, wherein the voids are opened and non-hardened hardenable material is released.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein connection point between the at least one support structure and the object includes a plurality of voids filled with non-hardened hardenable material, wherein the voids are arranged in a determined pattern.

Assignees

• Solventum Intellectual Properties Company

Inventors

• Korten Malte
• Kirchner Bastian P
• Oberpertinger Daniel D
• Herrmann Andreas
• Raia Gioacchino
• Friedrich Anja

Classifications

• B29L2031/7536

  Artificial teeth · CPC title

• A61C13/0019

  using three dimensional printing · CPC title

• A61C13/0013

  using stereolithographic techniques · CPC title

• B29C64/129

  characterised by the energy source therefor, e.g. by global irradiation combined with a mask · CPC title

• B29C64/40

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