Three-dimensional printed part removal using an elastomer sheet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288427-A1
Application number	US-201514677353-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 2, 2015
Priority date	Apr 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A three-dimensional object printer automatically removes parts formed on a platen in the printer. The printer includes a platen having a surface and a planar member disposed upon the surface of the platen. The printer further includes an actuator configured to deform the planar member and an ejector head having at least one ejector configured to eject material onto the planar member. The printer further includes a controller operatively connected to the actuator and the ejector head. The controller is configured to operate the ejector head to eject material onto the planar member to form a three-dimensional object, and to operate the actuator to deform the planar member and release the three-dimensional object from the planar member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A printer for manufacturing a three-dimensional object comprising:
a platen having a surface; a planar member disposed upon the surface of the platen; an actuator configured to deform the planar member; an ejector head having a plurality of ejectors configured to eject drops of material towards the planar member; and a controller operatively connected to the actuator and the ejector head, the controller being configured to:
operate the plurality of ejectors in the ejector head to eject the drops of material towards the platen and form layers of material with reference to digital image data of a three-dimensional object to produce the three-dimensional object on the planar member; and
operate the actuator to deform the planar member and release the three-dimensional object from the planar member.

2 . The printer of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to stretch the planar member in a direction that is parallel to the surface of the platen.

3 . The printer of claim 2 , the actuator further comprising:
at least one roller; and a solenoid operatively connected to the at least one roller, the solenoid being configured to stretch the planar member in a direction that is parallel to the surface of the platen.

4 . The printer of claim 1 , the platen further comprising:
a planar body having at least one opening that extends through the planar body of the platen; and the actuator is operatively connected to the at least one opening in the planar body of the platen to direct air through the at least one opening to deform the planar member.

5 . The printer of claim 4 , wherein the planar member is an elastic sheet that is attached to a perimeter of the surface of the platen; and
the actuator inflates the elastic sheet by directing the air through the opening in the planar body of the platen.

6 . The printer of claim 1 , the planar member further comprising:
an elastomer sheet.

7 . The printer of claim 1 , the controller being further configured to:
operate ejectors in the plurality of ejectors in the ejector head to form a base consisting essentially of wax on the planar member before operating the plurality of ejectors in the ejector head to eject drops of material towards the planar member to form the three-dimensional object.

8 . The printer of claim 1 , the controller being further configured to:
operate the actuator to relax the planar member with respect to the platen before operating the ejector head to eject material onto the planar member to form the three-dimensional object; and operate the actuator to deform the planar member and release the three-dimensional object from the planar member after operating the plurality of ejectors in the ejector head to eject drops of material towards the planar member to form the three-dimensional object.

9 . The printer of claim 1 , the controller being further configured to:
operate the actuator to deform the planar member before operating the plurality of ejectors in the ejector head to eject drops of material towards the planar member to form the three-dimensional object; and operate the actuator to relax the planar member and release the three-dimensional object from the planar member after operating the plurality of ejectors in the ejector head to eject drops of material towards the elastic sheet to form the three-dimensional object.

10 . The printer of claim 4 , the controller being further configured to:
operate the actuator to deform the elastic sheet before operating the plurality of ejectors in the ejector head to eject drops of material onto the elastic sheet to form the three-dimensional object; and operate the actuator to further deform the planar member and release the three-dimensional object from the planar member after operating the plurality of ejectors in the ejector head to eject drops of material towards the elastic sheet to form the three-dimensional object.

11 . A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object comprising:
operating ejectors with a controller with reference to digital image data of a three-dimensional object to eject drops of material towards a planar member covering a surface of a platen and form a plurality of layers that produces the three-dimensional object on the planar member; and operating an actuator to deform the planar member to release the three-dimensional object from the planar member.

12 . The method of claim 11 , the operating of the actuator further comprising:
operating the actuator to stretch the planar member in a direction that is parallel to the surface of the platen.

13 . The method of claim 12 , the operating of the actuator further comprising:
operating a solenoid operatively connected to at least one roller to stretch the planar member in a direction that is parallel to the surface of the platen.

14 . The method of claim 11 , the operating of the actuating device further comprising:
operating the actuator to direct air though an opening in the platen.

15 . The method of claim 14 , the operating of the actuator comprising:
operating the actuator to inflate the planar member by directing air through the opening in the platen, the planar member being attached to a perimeter of the surface of the platen.

16 . The method of claim 11 further comprising:
covering the surface of the platen with an elastomer sheet to form the planar member.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Foley Timothy P
• Anderson Jr Robert B
• Flores Eliud Robles

Classifications

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y40/20

  Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing · CPC title