Three-dimensional modeling apparatus and manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016263834-A1
Application number	US-201615061417-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 4, 2016
Priority date	Mar 13, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A three-dimensional modeling apparatus is provided with a head unit for modeling an object by discharging a liquid, which is to be a material of the object, into each unit grille and a control unit for controlling the head unit. The head unit is capable of individually discharging, into the unit grille, designated amounts of a plurality of types of chromatic liquids for expressing a designated color, and a low-lightness liquid that is an achromatic liquid having a lower lightness than the chromatic liquids, and in the case of discharging the low-lightness liquid and a chromatic liquid into one unit grille, the control unit controls the head unit so as to discharge the liquids such that the low-lightness liquid is positioned on an interior side of the object relative to the chromatic liquid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A three-dimensional modeling apparatus for modeling a three-dimensional object by laminating a plurality of cross section bodies in a Z direction, the three-dimensional modeling apparatus comprising:
a head unit for modeling the object by discharging a liquid that is to be a material of the object into each unit grille that is defined in accordance with a modeling resolution of the cross section body in an X direction, a modeling resolution of the cross section body in a Y direction, and a lamination interval of the cross section body in the Z direction; and a control unit for controlling the head unit, wherein the head unit is capable of individually discharging, into the unit grille, designated amounts of a plurality of types of chromatic liquids for expressing a designated color, and a low-lightness liquid that is an achromatic liquid having a lower lightness than the chromatic liquid, and in a case of discharging the low-lightness liquid and the chromatic liquid into one unit grille, the control unit controls the head unit so as to discharge the liquids such that the low-lightness liquid is positioned on an interior side of the object relative to the chromatic liquid.

2 . The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein in a case of discharging the low-lightness liquid and the chromatic liquid into two unit grilles that are adjacent to each other in a direction from a surface to an interior of the object, the control unit controls the head unit so as to discharge the chromatic liquid into a first unit grille positioned on the surface side of the object, and discharge the low-lightness liquid into a second unit grille positioned on the interior side of the object.

3 . The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the head unit is further capable of discharging a colorless liquid into the unit grille, and the control unit controls the head unit so as to discharge at least one colored liquid out of the chromatic liquid and the low-lightness liquid into the unit grille and, in a case where the spatial volume of the unit grille is not filled with the colored liquid, discharge the colorless liquid into the unit grille in addition to the colored liquid, such that the spatial volume of the unit grille is filled.

4 . The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the head unit discharges the liquids into the unit grilles while scanning in a predetermined direction, and is provided with a plurality of nozzle groups for discharging the liquids, and in a main scanning direction of the head unit, a second nozzle group for discharging the low-lightness liquid into the unit grilles is arranged rearward of a first nozzle group for discharging the chromatic liquid into the unit grilles, a third nozzle group for discharging the colorless liquid into the unit grilles is arranged rearward of the second nozzle group, and a fourth nozzle group for discharging the colorless liquid into the unit grilles is arranged rearward of the third nozzle group.

5 . The three-dimensional modeling apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the head unit is further capable of discharging a colorless liquid into the unit grille, and the control unit controls the head unit so as to discharge the colorless liquid onto a top portion of the unit grille into which at least one of the chromatic liquid and the low-lightness liquid was discharged.

6 . A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object using a three-dimensional modeling apparatus for modeling a three-dimensional object by laminating a plurality of cross section bodies in a Z direction,
the three-dimensional modeling apparatus including a head unit for modeling the object by discharging a liquid that is to be a material of the object into each unit grille that is defined in accordance with a modeling resolution of the cross section body in an X direction, a modeling resolution of the cross section body in a Y direction, and a lamination interval of the cross section body in the Z direction, and the head unit being capable of individually discharging, into the unit grille, designated amounts of a plurality of types of chromatic liquids for expressing a designated color, and a low-lightness liquid that is an achromatic liquid having a lower lightness than the chromatic liquid, the method comprising controlling, in a case of discharging the low-lightness liquid and the chromatic liquid into one unit grille, the head unit so as to discharge the liquids such that the low-lightness liquid is positioned on an interior side of the object relative to the chromatic liquid.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Wada Hiroshi

Classifications

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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

• B29K2105/0058

  Liquid or visquous · CPC title

• B29K2995/0021

  Multi-coloured · CPC title