Three-dimensional printing systems for rapidly producing objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016332367-A1
Application number	US-201615156164-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 16, 2016
Priority date	May 15, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

This invention relates to rapid prototyping systems, specifically, a continuous moving surface liquid resin system (CMSL) and fast printing method for making any 3D objects, such as dental devices, including but not limited to artificial teeth, dentures, orthodontic appliances, aligners, splints, veneers, inlays, onlays, copings, frame patterns, crowns and bridges and the like. 3D printers, such as DLP or stereolithography printer, are used to cure polymerizable material in a layer-by-layer manner to build-up the object rapidly and continuously.

First claim

1 . A method for making a three-dimensional object comprising the steps of
a. loading a polymerizable liquid resin material or heated resin material as a liquid into a resin bath (vat) of a 3D printer; b. locating one or more mechanical arms at clear and/or transparent window proximate to the bottom of the resin bath to maintain a liquid interface between a build surface and the clear and/or transparent window proximate to the bottom of the resin bath; c. applying sequential voxel planes into the liquid resin or the heated resin to form a first layer of material, which polymerizes into a solid; and d. applying one or more successive layers of the polymerized material continuously until a predetermined shape is formed.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying steps are accomplished by a 3D printer selected from the group consisting of a DLP based, stereolithography based and other light irradiation based 3D printer.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more mechanical arms are in a form selected from the group consisting of a thin wire, a thin knife, a thin disk, a thin half circle wire, and any combinations thereof.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more mechanical arms are continuously moving during printing to maintain a thin liquid layer at ambient or elevated temperature on the clear and/or transparent window at the bottom of the resin bath.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the thin liquid layer has a thickness of from about 0.02 mm to about 2 mm.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more mechanical arms have different cross-section shapes selected from the group consisting of a circle, triangle, square, wedge, rectangle, elliptical, diamond, and any combinations thereof.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more mechanical arms enable the continuous flow of highly viscous materials on the clear and/or transparent window at the bottom of the resin bath.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a shear strain from the one or more mechanical arms form a thin layer of flowable material at the bottom of the resin bath.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more mechanical arms is at least two mechanical arms.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of utilizing a physical constraint form intimately above the one or more moveable mechanical arms, wherein the physical constraint form is in a shape selected from the group consisting of a tube, a ring, a diamond ring, a half-moon ring, a half cycle ring, an elliptical ring, a square ring, a rectangle ring and a combination thereof according to the predetermined need of the printed object and a shape of a building platform.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional object is a dental prosthesis or dental device, selected from the group consisting of an artificial tooth, a denture, an orthodontic appliance, an aligner, a splint, a veneer, an inlay, an onlay, a coping, a frame pattern, a crown and a bridge.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid resin material or the heated resin material comprises at least a polymerizable material and polymerization initiation system capable of being activated by light.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the resin material is heated to have a reduced viscosity or to achieve a sufficient flowable state.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymerizable material comprises at least one of polymerizable acrylic oligomers, one or more prepolymers and one or more monomers.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymerizable material further comprises a particulate filler.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the particulate filler is selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, silicon nitride, polymers, inorganic articulates, glasses and any combinations thereof.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymerization initiation system comprises a photoactive agent, selected from the group consisting of camphorquinone, 2,4,6 trimethylbenzoyldiphenyl phosphine oxide, and any combination thereof.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymerizable material further comprises one or more pigments.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymerizable material further comprises one or more inhibitors.

Assignees

• Dentsply Sirona Inc

Inventors

• Sun Benjamin Jiemin
• Sun Jessica Jiaxin

Classifications

• B29C64/124

  using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified · 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

• B33Y30/00

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

• B29C64/135

  the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources · CPC title