Electrophotography-based additive manufacturing system with reciprocating operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9423756-B2
Application number	US-201414504857-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2014
Priority date	Sep 23, 2011
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part using electrophotography, the additive manufacturing system comprising a rotatable photoconductor component, first and second development stations configured to develop layers of materials on a surface of the rotatable photoconductor component while the rotatable photoconductor component rotates in opposing rotational directions, and a platen configured to operably receive the developed layers in a layer-by-layer manner to print the three-dimensional part from at least a portion of the received layers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part using electrophotography, the additive manufacturing system comprising:
a photoconductor component, rotatable about a first axis of rotation, having a surface, and configured to rotate in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction that is opposite of the first rotational direction;
a first development station configured to develop a layer of a first part material on the surface of the rotatable photoconductor component while the rotatable photoconductor component rotates in the first rotational direction;
a second development station configured to develop a layer of a support material or a second part material different from the first part material on the surface of the rotatable photoconductor component while the rotatable photoconductor component rotates in the second rotational direction;
a transfer component, rotatable about a second axis of rotation, the first and second axes of rotation being substantially parallel, wherein the transfer component includes an exterior convex surface about an entire perimeter, wherein the transfer component is configured to receive the developed layers from the surface of the rotatable photoconductor component while simultaneously rotating in a direction counter to the rotational direction of the rotatable photoconductor component;
a platen movable along an x-axis and a z-axis and configured to receive the developed layers from the transfer component in a layer-by-layer manner to print the three-dimensional part from at least a portion of the received layers; and
a controller configured to selectively rotate the rotatable photoconductor component in the first and second rotational directions, to rotate the rotatable transfer component at a synchronized rate and in counter-rotation with the rotatable photoconductor component, and to move the platen at a synchronized rate with the surface of the rotatable transfer component, and to index the platen along the z-axis between layers.

2. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , and further comprising:
a first charge inducer configured to generate first uniform electrostatic charges to the surface of the photoconductor component while the rotatable photoconductor component rotates in the first rotational direction;
a second charge inducer configured to generate second uniform electrostatic charges to the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component rotates in the second rotational direction; and
an imager configured to generate first latent images from the first uniform electrostatic charges, and to generate second latent images from the second uniform electrostatic charges, wherein the developed layers of the first material are based on the first latent images, and the developed layers of the second material are based on the second latent images.

3. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , and further comprising at least one fixing element configured to heat at least a portion of the received layers on the platen.

4. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the photoconductor component comprises a first electrically-conductive drum, and wherein the surface of the photoconductor component comprises a photoconductive surface.

5. The additive manufacturing system of claim 4 , wherein the transfer component comprises a second drum.

6. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , and further comprising:
a third development station configured to develop a layer of a third material on the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component rotates in the first rotational direction; and
a fourth development station configured to develop a layer of a fourth material on the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component rotates in the second rotational direction;
wherein the controller is further configured to interchangeably operate the first development station and the third development station while the photoconductor component rotates in the first rotational direction, and to interchangeably operate the second development station and the fourth development station while the photoconductor component rotates in the second rotational direction.

7. The additive manufacturing system of claim 1 , and further comprising a chamber at least partially enclosing the platen and at least a portion of the transfer component, wherein the chamber is configured to be heated to one or more temperatures.

8. The additive manufacturing system of claim 7 , and further comprising at least one cooling unit configured to blow localized cooling air to at least a portion of the received layers on the platen.

9. An additive manufacturing system for printing a three-dimensional part using electrophotography, the additive manufacturing system comprising:
a photoconductor component, rotatable about a first axis of rotation, having a surface, the photoconductor component being configured to rotate in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction that is opposite of the first rotational direction;
a plurality of first development stations configured to develop layers of first materials on the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component rotates in the first rotational direction;
a first mechanism configured to move the plurality of first development stations such that each of the plurality of first development stations can interchangeably engage with the surface of the photoconductor component;
at least one second development station configured to develop layers of a second material, different from the first material, on the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component rotates in the second rotational direction;
a platen configured be movable along an x-axis and a z-axis, and to operably receive the developed layers in a layer-by-layer manner to print the three-dimensional part from at least a portion of the received layers; and
a controller configured to selectively rotate the photoconductor component in the first and second rotational directions, and to operate the first mechanism to interchangeably engage the plurality of first development stations with the surface of the photoconductor component.

10. The additive manufacturing system of claim 9 , and further comprising a transfer component, rotatable about a second axis of rotation, the first and second axes of rotation being substantially parallel, configured to receive the developed layers from the surface of the rotatable photoconductor component, wherein the platen operably receives the developed layers from the rotatable transfer component.

11. The additive manufacturing system of claim 9 , wherein the first mechanism comprises a rotatable carousel of the plurality of first development stations.

12. The additive manufacturing system of claim 9 , and further comprising:
a plurality of second development stations configured to develop layers of second materials on the surface of the photoconductor component while the photoconductor component rotates in the second rotational direction; and
a second mechanism configured to interchangeably engage the plurality of second development stations with the surface of the photoconductor component, wherein the controller is further configured to operate the second mechanism to interchangeably engage the plurality of second development stations with the surface of the photoconductor component.

13. The additive manufacturing system of claim 9 , and further comprising:
a charge inducer configured to generate

Assignees

• Stratasys Inc

Inventors

• Hanson William J
• Sanders J Randolph
• Bacus Michael W
• Chillscyzn Steven A

Classifications

• G03G2215/16

  Transferring device, details · CPC title

• G03G15/225

  using contact-printing · CPC title

• G03G15/757 Primary

  Drive mechanisms for photosensitive medium, e.g. gears · CPC title

• G03G2215/0634

  Developing device · CPC title

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title