Voxel 3D printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9950465-B2
Application number	US-201715814061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2017
Priority date	Dec 31, 2014
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

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 computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by a three-dimensional (3D) printer, data specifying a layer of a three-dimensional (3D) structure that is to be printed;
selecting, by the 3D printer and from among multiple light sources that are each associated with a respective hollow mold of an arrangement of hollow molds that each extend into a resin container, a subset of the light sources that correspond to the layer of the three-dimensional structure; and
activating, by the 3D printer, the light sources of the selected subset of light sources that correspond to the layer of the three-dimensional structure, thereby causing cured resin to be formed around the hollow molds that are associated with the light sources of the selected subset; and
lifting, by the 3D printer, the cured resin that is formed around the hollow molds that are associated with the light sources of the selected subset.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the arrangement of hollow molds extends into the resin container from the bottom of the resin container, and wherein the light sources are positioned beneath the resin container.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the arrangement of hollow molds extends into the resin container from a moveable base plate that is associated with the 3D printer, and wherein the light sources are positioned within the base plate.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
receiving, by the three-dimensional (3D) printer, data specifying a second layer of the three-dimensional (3D) structure that is to be printed;
selecting, by the 3D printer and from among the multiple light sources that are each associated with a respective hollow mold of an arrangement of hollow molds that each extend into a resin container, a second subset of the light sources that correspond to the second layer of the three-dimensional structure; and
activating, by the 3D printer, the light sources of the selected second subset of light sources that correspond to the second layer of the three-dimensional structure, thereby causing cured resin to be formed around the hollow molds that are associated with the light sources of the selected subset, and to adhere to the lifted, cured resin that formed around the hollow molds that were associated with the light sources of the selected subset; and
lifting, by the 3D printer, the cured resin that formed around the hollow molds that are associated with the light sources of the selected subset, and that adhere to the lifted, cured resin that formed around the hollow molds that were associated with the light sources of the selected subset.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subset of the light sources comprises fewer than all of the light sources.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising dynamically adjusting an extent to which the hollow molds of the arrangement extend into the resin container.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cured resin is lifted using an articulated robotic arm.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the arrangement comprises a honeycomb pattern or grid pattern of hollow molds that are spaced apart from each other.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by a three-dimensional (3D) printer, data specifying a layer of a three-dimensional (3D) structure that is to be printed;
selecting, by the 3D printer and from among multiple light sources that are each associated with a respective hollow mold of an arrangement of hollow molds that each extend into a resin container, a subset of the light sources that correspond to the layer of the three-dimensional structure; and
activating, by the 3D printer, the light sources of the selected subset of light sources that correspond to the layer of the three-dimensional structure, thereby causing cured resin to be formed around the hollow molds that are associated with the light sources of the selected subset; and
lifting, by the 3D printer, the cured resin that is formed around the hollow molds that are associated with the light sources of the selected subset.

10. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the arrangement of hollow molds extends into the resin container from the bottom of the resin container, and wherein the light sources are positioned beneath the resin container.

11. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the arrangement of hollow molds extends into the resin container from a moveable base plate that is associated with the 3D printer, and wherein the light sources are positioned within the base plate.

12. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the operations comprise:
receiving, by the three-dimensional (3D) printer, data specifying a second layer of the three-dimensional (3D) structure that is to be printed;
selecting, by the 3D printer and from among the multiple light sources that are each associated with a respective hollow mold of an arrangement of hollow molds that each extend into a resin container, a second subset of the light sources that correspond to the second layer of the three-dimensional structure; and
activating, by the 3D printer, the light sources of the selected second subset of light sources that correspond to the second layer of the three-dimensional structure, thereby causing cured resin to be formed around the hollow molds that are associated with the light sources of the selected subset, and to adhere to the lifted, cured resin that formed around the hollow molds that were associated with the light sources of the selected subset; and
lifting, by the 3D printer, the cured resin that formed around the hollow molds that are associated with the light sources of the selected subset, and that adhere to the lifted, cured resin that formed around the hollow molds that were associated with the light sources of the selected subset.

13. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the subset of the light sources comprises fewer than all of the light sources.

14. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the operations comprise dynamically adjusting an extent to which the hollow molds of the arrangement extend into the resin container.

15. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the cured resin is lifted using an articulated robotic arm.

16. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the arrangement comprises a honeycomb pattern or grid pattern of hollow molds that are spaced apart from each other.

17. A system comprising:
one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by a three-dimensional (3D) printer, data specifying a layer of a three-dimensional (3D) structure that is to be printed;
selecting, by the 3D printer and from among multiple light sources that are each associated with a respective hollow mold of an arrangement of hollow molds that each extend into a resin container, a subset of the light sources that correspond to the layer of the three-dimensional structure; and
activating, by the 3D printer, the light sources of the selected subset of light sources that correspond to the layer of the three-dimensional structure, thereby causing cured resin to be formed around the hollow molds that are associated with the light sources of the selected subset; and
lifting, by the 3D printer, the cured resin that is formed around the hollow molds that are associated with the light sources of the selected subset.

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

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B29L2031/608

  Honeycomb structures · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

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