Method for manufacturing a three-dimensional article by an additive manufacturing technology

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020164591-A1
Application number	US-201816612312-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 9, 2018
Priority date	May 11, 2017
Publication date	May 28, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional article, including: a step of producing the article by an additive manufacturing technology, the article including at least two parts that face, at least partially, each other or that have edges facing, at least partially, each other; and a step of finishing of the article. According to the invention, the two parts are produced together with a temporary connection that links the two parts, and the method includes, after the step of finishing, a step of unlinking the temporary connection in order to separate the two parts.

First claim

1 . Method for manufacturing a three-dimensional article, comprising:
a step of producing said article by an additive manufacturing technology, said article comprising at least two parts having surfaces that face, at least partially, each other or having edges that faces, at least partially, each other, and a step of finishing of said article, wherein said two parts are produced together with a temporary connection, said temporary connection linking said two parts, and said temporary connection comprising an inhomogeneity along said surfaces or said edges, and wherein said method comprises, after said step of finishing, a step of unlinking said temporary connection in order to separate said two parts.

2 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein said temporary connection is breakable with a force lower than the force necessary to break any other part of said article.

3 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein said inhomogeneity comprises an inhomogeneity of presence of material along said surfaces or said edges.

4 . Method according to claim 3 , wherein said temporary connection comprises at least one breakable point or pin that links said two parts.

5 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein said additive manufacturing technology comprising an operation of fusion of powder or of solidification of fluid, and wherein said inhomogeneity comprises an inhomogeneity of fusion of powder or solidification of fluid along said surfaces.

6 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein said inhomogeneity comprises an inhomogeneity of material along said surfaces or said edges.

7 . Method according to claim 6 , wherein said temporary connection is made of a material that is soluble in a liquid and wherein said two parts are made of a material that is not soluble in said liquid.

8 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein one of said two parts is a mask entirely separable from the other part.

9 . Method according to claim 8 , wherein said mask is situated in a groove recessed in an external surface of said other part and wherein said mask protrudes from said external surface.

10 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein said two parts are also connected to each other by a definitive connection so that these two parts form a single piece even when said temporary connection is disconnected.

11 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein:
each part comprises a main body adjacent to the main body of the other part, one of the two parts also comprises a rabbet that covers a portion of the main body of the other part, and said temporary connection is situated between said rabbet and the main body of the other part.

12 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said two parts defines a housing for an electronic device.

13 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said two parts form a piece of eyeglass frame.

14 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of finishing comprises a mechanical polishing of said article, for instance a tribofinishing of said article.

15 . Three-dimensional article produced by an additive manufacturing technology, comprising:
at least two parts having surfaces that face, at least partially, each other or having edges that face, at least partially, each other, and a temporary connection that links said two parts and that comprises an inhomogeneity along said surfaces or said edges, wherein said two parts and said temporary connection are designed so that the temporary connection preserves at least one of the two parts or one of the edges during a step of finishing of said article.

16 . Three-dimensional article according to claim 15 , wherein one of said at least two parts forms a portion of a spectacle temple having a recess, the other of said at least two parts being temporarily mounted in the recess.

17 . Method according to claim 2 , wherein said inhomogeneity comprises an inhomogeneity of presence of material along said surfaces or said edges.

18 . Method according to claim 2 , wherein said additive manufacturing technology comprising an operation of fusion of powder or of solidification of fluid, and wherein said inhomogeneity comprises an inhomogeneity of fusion of powder or solidification of fluid along said surfaces.

19 . Method according to claim 2 , wherein said inhomogeneity comprises an inhomogeneity of material along said surfaces or said edges.

20 . Method according to claim 2 , wherein one of said two parts is a mask entirely separable from the other part.

Assignees

• Essilor Int

Inventors

• Jouard Ludovic
• Baillon Loïc

Classifications

• B29C64/188

  involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control (surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00) · CPC title

• B29C64/40 Primary

  Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof · CPC title

• G02C11/10

  Electronic devices other than hearing aids · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/10 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title