Electrostatic 3-d printer using leveling material and mechanical planer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017348908-A1
Application number	US-201615175476-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 7, 2016
Priority date	Jun 7, 2016
Publication date	Dec 7, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3-D) printer includes build and support material development stations positioned to transfer layers of build and support materials to an intermediate transfer surface. A platen having a flat surface is positioned to contact the intermediate transfer surface. The intermediate transfer surface transfers a layer of the build and support materials to the flat surface of the platen as the platen contacts one of the layers on the intermediate transfer surface. A dispenser is positioned to deposit a leveling material on the layer on the platen, and a mechanical planer is positioned to contact and level the leveling material on the layer on the platen to make the top of the leveling material parallel to the flat surface of the platen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A three-dimensional (3-D) printer comprising:
an intermediate transfer surface; a build material development station positioned to transfer build material to said intermediate transfer surface; a support material development station positioned to transfer support material to said intermediate transfer surface, said build material development station and said support material development station transfer layers of said build material and said support material to said intermediate transfer surface; a platen having a flat surface positioned to contact said intermediate transfer surface, said intermediate transfer surface transfers a layer of said build material and said support material to said flat surface of said platen as said platen contacts one of said layers on said intermediate transfer surface; a dispenser positioned to deposit a leveling material on said layer on said platen; and a mechanical planer positioned to contact and level said leveling material on said layer on said platen and make the top of said leveling material parallel to said flat surface of said platen.

2 . The 3-D printer according to claim 1 , said leveling material joins relatively more readily with said build material, and joins relatively less readily with said support material.

3 . The 3-D printer according to claim 1 , said build material attracts said leveling material, and said support material repels said leveling material.

4 . The 3-D printer according to claim 1 , said mechanical planer comprises an elongated structure that moves relative to said platen in a direction parallel to said flat surface of said platen.

5 . The 3-D printer according to claim 1 , said mechanical planer comprises a blade, a roller, or counter-rotating rollers.

6 . The 3-D printer according to claim 1 , said mechanical planer reduces the thickness of said leveling material.

7 . The 3-D printer according to claim 1 , said dispenser comprises a sprayer, a hopper, or a chute.

8 . A three-dimensional (3-D) printer comprising:
an intermediate transfer surface; a build material development station positioned to electrostatically transfer build material to said intermediate transfer surface; a support material development station positioned to electrostatically transfer support material to said intermediate transfer surface, said build material development station and said support material development station transfer layers of said build material and said support material to said intermediate transfer surface; a transfuse station adjacent said intermediate transfer surface; a platen having a flat surface positioned to repeatedly contact said intermediate transfer surface, said platen moving relative to said intermediate transfer surface, said intermediate transfer surface transfers a layer of said build material and said support material to said flat surface of said platen each time said platen contacts one of said layers on said intermediate transfer surface at said transfuse station to successively form a freestanding stack of said layers on said flat surface of said platen; a fusing station positioned to apply heat and pressure to said freestanding stack to fuse said layers together; a dispenser positioned to deposit a leveling material on said freestanding stack; and a mechanical planer positioned to contact and level said leveling material on said freestanding stack and make the top of said leveling material parallel to said flat surface of said platen, said platen moves to said fusing station after said mechanical planer levels said leveling material to fuse said leveling material to said freestanding stack.

9 . The 3-D printer according to claim 8 , said leveling material joins relatively more readily with said build material, and joins relatively less readily with said support material.

10 . The 3-D printer according to claim 8 , said build material attracts said leveling material, and said support material repels said leveling material.

11 . The 3-D printer according to claim 8 , said mechanical planer comprises an elongated structure that moves relative to said platen in a direction parallel to said flat surface of said platen.

12 . The 3-D printer according to claim 8 , said mechanical planer comprises a blade, a roller, or counter-rotating rollers.

13 . The 3-D printer according to claim 8 , said mechanical planer reduces the thickness of said leveling material.

14 . The 3-D printer according to claim 8 , said dispenser comprises a sprayer, a hopper, or a chute.

15 . A three-dimensional (3-D) printer comprising:
an intermediate transfer belt (ITB); a build material development station positioned to electrostatically transfer build material to said ITB; a support material development station positioned to electrostatically transfer support material to said ITB, said build material development station and said support material development station transfer layers of said build material and said support material to said ITB; a transfuse station adjacent said ITB; a platen having a flat surface positioned to repeatedly contact said ITB, said platen moving relative to said ITB, said ITB transfers a layer of said build material and said support material to said flat surface of said platen each time said platen contacts one of said layers on said ITB at said transfuse station to successively form a freestanding stack of said layers on said flat surface of said platen; a fusing station positioned to apply heat and pressure to said freestanding stack to fuse said layers together; a curing station positioned to apply heat and ultraviolet light to said freestanding stack to crosslink polymers in said build material; a dispenser positioned separate from said ITB and positioned to deposit a leveling material on the top layer of said freestanding stack; and a mechanical planer positioned separate from said ITB and positioned to contact and level said leveling material on said freestanding stack and make the top of said leveling material parallel to said flat surface of said platen, said platen moves to said fusing station after said mechanical planer levels said leveling material to fuse said leveling material to said freestanding stack.

16 . The 3-D printer according to claim 15 , said leveling material joins relatively more readily with said build material, and joins relatively less readily with said support material.

17 . The 3-D printer according to claim 15 , said build material attracts said leveling material, and said support material repels said leveling material.

18 . The 3-D printer according to claim 15 , said mechanical planer comprises an elongated structure that moves relative to said platen in a direction parallel to said flat surface of said platen.

19 . The 3-D printer according to claim 15 , said mechanical planer comprises a blade, a roller, or counter-rotating rollers.

20 . The 3-D printer according to claim 15 , said mechanical planer reduces the thickness of said leveling material.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Liu Chu-Heng
• Mcconville Paul J
• Nowak William J
• Zona Michael F
• Clark Robert A
• Alvarez Jorge A

Classifications

• G03G15/225

  using contact-printing · CPC title

• G03G15/1625

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• B33Y10/00

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• B29C64/214

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• G03G15/224

  Machines for forming tactile or three dimensional images by electrographic means, e.g. braille, 3d printing · CPC title