Voxel 3D printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840045-B2
Application number	US-201414588039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2014
Priority date	Dec 31, 2014
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

An example system includes: (i) a resin container defining a cavity; (ii) a plurality of rods extending from an inner base surface of the resin container and into the cavity; (iii) a plurality of light sources arranged to emit radiation into the plurality of rods, such that when the cavity contains liquid resin, radiation passing through a given one of the rods cures liquid resin that surrounds the given rod; and (iv) a control system configured to: (a) receive data specifying a three-dimensional structure; (b) determine a shape for a layer of a plurality of layers that collectively form the three-dimensional structure; and (c) determine one or more of the light sources that correspond to the shape of the layer; and (d) form the layer by operating the one or more determined light sources that correspond to the shape of the layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a resin container defining a cavity therein;
a plurality of rods extending from an inner base surface of the resin container and into the cavity;
a plurality of light sources arranged to emit radiation into the plurality of rods, such that when the cavity contains liquid resin, radiation passing through a given one of the rods cures liquid resin that surrounds the given rod; and
a control system configured to:
(a) receive data specifying a three-dimensional structure;
(b) determine a first and a second shape for a first and a second layer, respectively, from a plurality of layers that collectively form the three-dimensional structure;
(c) determine one or more of the light sources that correspond to the first shape;
(d) form the first layer by operating the one or more light sources that correspond to the first shape to cure liquid resin in the first shape;
(e) determine one or more of the light sources that correspond to the second shape; and
(f) form the second layer onto a surface of the first layer by operating the one or more light sources that correspond to the second shape to cure liquid resin in the shape.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to determine the one or more of the light sources that correspond to the first shape by:
determining coordinate values that collectively represent the first shape, wherein each coordinate value corresponds to a particular light source; and
determining the one or more light sources as light sources corresponding to the determined coordinate values.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to operate the one or more determined light sources that correspond to the first shape to cure a layer of liquid resin in the first shape by:
powering the one or more determined light sources that correspond to the first shape for a predetermined length of time to form one or more voxels of cured resin that comprise the first shape.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to individually control each of the plurality of light sources.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the control system is further configured to individually control an intensity of each of the plurality of light sources.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of a given rod includes a translucent material that diffuses radiation passing through the given rod emitted by a corresponding lighting element.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a robotic arm attached to a portion of a base plate, wherein the control system is further configured to control a position of the base plate by operating the robotic arm.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the control system is configured to form each of the plurality of layers by:
(g) after the first layer of liquid resin having the first shape is cured, operating the robotic arm to move the base plate upwards, such that a bottom surface of the cured layer is positioned at top ends of the rods.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the robotic arm is operable to move the base plate with at least three degrees of freedom.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control system is configured to form at least one of the plurality of layers by:
(h) operating the robotic arm to move the base plate laterally, such that the cured first layer is offset from the plurality of rods.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control system is configured to operate the one or more determined light sources that correspond to the first shape to cure liquid resin in the first shape in multiple phases, wherein each phase comprises:
operating a subset of the one or more determined light sources to cure a portion of the first layer of liquid resin representing a portion of the first shape; and
operating the robotic arm to move the base plate laterally.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the resin comprises a liquid resin that cures when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) electromagnetic radiation.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of light sources comprises a plurality of UV light sources.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rods are arranged as a two-dimensional lattice.

15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a non-stick coating covering at least a portion of the plurality rods.

16. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a vibrating mechanism coupled to the plurality rods configured to shake loose cured resin from the plurality rods.

17. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling element coupled to the plurality rods configured to thermally contract the plurality rods to separate cured resin from the plurality rods.

18. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature-changing element coupled to the plurality of rods configured to change a temperature of the plurality of rods.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rods are operable to retract through the inner base surface into the resin container.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein each rod is operable to rotate in place.

21. A system comprising:
a resin container defining a cavity, wherein the cavity is defined in part by an inner base surface of the resin container;
a base plate suspended from above the resin container and configured to adhere to cured resin;
a plurality of rods extending from a surface of the base plate and into the cavity;
a plurality of light sources arranged to emit radiation into the plurality of rods, such that when the cavity contains liquid resin, radiation passing through a given one of the rods cures liquid resin that surrounds the given rod; and
a control system configured to:
(a) receive data specifying a three-dimensional structure;
(b) determine a first and a second shape for a first and a second layer, respectively, from a plurality of layers that collectively form the three-dimensional structure;
(c) determine one or more of the light sources that correspond to the first shape;
(d) form the first layer by operating the one or more determined light sources that correspond to the first shape to cure liquid resin in the first shape;
(e) determine one or more of the light sources that correspond to the second shape; and
(f) form the second layer onto a surface of the first layer by operating the one or more light sources that correspond to the second shape to cure liquid resin in the second shape.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein determining the one or more of the light sources that correspond to the first shape comprises:
determining coordinate values that collectively represent the first shape, wherein each coordinate value corresponds to a particular light source; and
determining the one or more light sources as light sources corresponding to the determined coordinate values.

Assignees

• X Dev Llc

Inventors

• Linnell Jeff
• Kruysman Brandon
• Proto Jonathan

Classifications

• B29C64/393

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29C64/379

  Handling of additively manufactured objects, e.g. using robots · CPC title

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29L2031/608

  Honeycomb structures · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title