Thermochromic build materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9404200-B2
Application number	US-201213691460-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2012
Priority date	May 4, 2012
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A variety of thermochromic build materials are disclosed for use in color-controlled three-dimensional printing. By providing materials that exhibit a final color dependent upon heat applied during a melt or extrusion process, objects can be fabricated having a user-controlled color that varies from object to object, or within a single object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A build material for three-dimensional printing comprising:
a polymer shaped and sized for use with an extrusion-based three-dimensional printer; and
a thermochromic material combined with the polymer, the thermochromic material imparting a color to the build material that varies according to a temperature applied to the build material during an extrusion process, the thermochromic material including one or more encapsulated dyes that rupture within a temperature coincident with a liquification temperature of the polymer thereby providing a final color to an extruded material after the build material is liquified during the extrusion process.

2. The build material of claim 1 wherein the polymer and the thermochromic material are combined into a filament, the build material further comprising a spool about which the filament is wound, the spool including a center opening for rotatably coupling to a spindle.

3. The build material of claim 2 wherein the polymer forms a core of the filament and the thermochromic material surrounds the core.

4. The build material of claim 1 wherein the polymer includes acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

5. The build material of claim 1 wherein the polymer includes polylactic acid.

6. The build material of claim 1 wherein the polymer includes high-density polyethylene.

7. The build material of claim 1 wherein the polymer includes one or more of a plastic and a thermoplastic.

8. The build material of claim 1 wherein the thermochromic material includes an irreversible thermochromic composition.

9. The build material of claim 1 wherein the thermochromic material includes a non-thermochromic additive incorporated into the polymer to yield a thermochromic bulk material that provides a thermochromic effect under applied temperature.

Assignees

• Makerbot Ind Llc

Inventors

• Steiner Robert J
• Van Sice Corrie Michelle

Classifications

• B33Y30/00

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

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• G10L2015/225

  Feedback of the input speech · CPC title

• D01F6/00 Primary

  Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof · CPC title

• G10L17/22

  Interactive procedures; Man-machine interfaces · CPC title