Housing for computer-numerically-controlled machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018147657-A1
Application number	US-201715823499-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 27, 2017
Priority date	Nov 25, 2016
Publication date	May 31, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A computer-numerically-controlled machine can include a light source and a housing. The light source can be configured to deliver electromagnetic energy to at least one location on a material at least partially disposed within the computer-numerically-controlled machine. The housing can include at least one side part surrounding an interior space and the at least one location on the material. The housing can include a structural material defining at least a portion of the interior space. The housing can further include a protective material protecting the side part. The protective material can reduce a permeability of the side part to the electromagnetic radiation relative to the structural material alone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-numerically-controlled machine comprising:
a light source configured to deliver electromagnetic energy to at least one location on a material at least partially disposed within a housing of the computer-numerically-controlled machine; and the housing comprising at least one side part surrounding an interior space of the housing and the at least one location on the material, the housing comprising:
a structural material defining at least a portion of the interior space; and
a protective material protecting the side part, the protective material reducing a permeability of the side part to the electromagnetic radiation relative to the structural material alone.

2 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a bottom part of the computer-numerically-controlled machine, and wherein the protective material further reduces a permeability of the bottom part to the electromagnetic radiation relative to the structural material alone.

3 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 1 , wherein the protective material comprises at least one of adhesive-backed metallic foil, metallic plating, a ceramic particle layer, a metallic particle layer, and/or a plastic layer that is more resistant to electromagnetic radiation than the structural material.

4 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 3 , wherein the protective material is disposed on an inner surface of the structural material.

5 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 3 , wherein the protective material is disposed on an outer surface of the structural material.

6 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 3 , wherein the protective material is disposed within the structural material.

7 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 3 , wherein the protective material is disposed between an external structural material and an internal structural material.

8 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 1 , wherein the protective material comprises a metallic layer.

9 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 1 , wherein the protective material comprises a ceramic layer.

10 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 1 , wherein the structural material comprises plastic.

11 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 1 , wherein the protective material is detachable and/or semi-detachable.

12 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 1 , wherein the protective material is more resistant to the electromagnetic radiation than the structural material.

13 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a laser.

14 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 13 , wherein the laser is capable of one or more of discoloring, ablating, and vaporize the material.

15 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 1 , wherein the computer-numerically-controlled machine is capable of hardening, creating a phase transition, and/or modifying the physical characteristics of the material.

16 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a carbon dioxide laser, and the electromagnetic radiation comprises infrared radiation.

17 . The computer-numerically-controlled machine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one side part encloses at least half of the interior space of the housing.

18 . A method for manufacturing a computer-numerically-controlled machine, the method comprising:
defining at least a portion of a side part with a structural material; protecting the side part with a protective material, the protective material reducing a permeability of the side part to electromagnetic radiation relative to the structural material alone; forming the housing comprising the side part, the side part including the structural material and the protective material; and configuring a light source to deliver the electromagnetic radiation to a material that is at least partially disposed within the housing.

Assignees

• Glowforge Inc

Inventors

• Shapiro Daniel

Classifications

• B23K26/0648

  comprising lenses · CPC title

• B32B37/02

  characterised by a sequence of laminating steps, e.g. by adding new layers at consecutive laminating stations · CPC title

• B23K26/38

  by boring or cutting · CPC title

• B23K26/032

  using optical means · CPC title

• B23K26/0892

  Controlling the laser beam travel length · CPC title