- Number
- 9656422
- Published
- 2017-05-23
- Filed
- 2014-10-21
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Smoot; Lanny S., Hsing; Alexander, Reetz; Daniel
- CPC
- B29C64/124
- Verdict
- High Hardware
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
A 3D printer using a photo-curing liquid resin print matrix and focused-light optical assembly for near-instantaneous object printing.
Abstract
An apparatus or three dimensional (3D) printer is provided for generating a 3D object. The apparatus includes a print chamber and a liquid print matrix such as a photo-curing resin positioned in the print chamber. The apparatus includes an optical assembly focusinglight into the print chamber in the form of a real image whose light initiates curing processes for a volume of the liquid print matrix to form the 3D object. The light focused into the print chamber has a wavelength within a wavelength curing range for the photo-curing resin. The real image may be formed using an optical assembly reflecting or redirecting and focusing light reflected from outer surfaces of an existing 3D object. The real image may also be provided in the form of a volumetric image displayed by a volumetric display device displaying planes of a 3D digital model or image of a 3D object.
Background
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS(1) FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a 3D printer (or 3D object generation system) during its use or operation to print or create a 3D object;(2) FIG. 2 is a flow diagram for a method of fabricating or printing a 3D object using a 3D printer of the present description such as the printer or object generation system of FIG. 1;(3) FIG. 3 is a side sectional and schematic view of a 3D printer with one exemplary optical assembly of the present description for providing a real image within a print chamber or vat of photo-curing resin;(4) FIG. 4 is a functional block view showing another 3D printer using an optical assembly including a rotating curved mirror to provide real images in a vat of photo-curing resin; and(5) FIG. 5 is a functional block drawing of a 3D printer using a volumetric display device to display a volumetric image in a volume of photo-curing resin in a print chamber or vat to form a 3D object.DETAILED DESCRIPTION(6) The inventors recognized that existing or conventional 3D printers, such as FFF-based 3D printers, are extremely slow in printing a 3D object. Further, conventional 3D printers require that support structure must be printed for any overhanging portions of the 3D object, which further slows the printing process and requires post-printing fabrication steps to remove the support structure. To address these and other issues with conventional 3D printers, a 3D printer (or 3D object generation system) is taught herei
Claims
1. An apparatus for generating a physical three dimensional (3D) object, comprising: a print chamber with one or more sidewalls enclosing an interior void adapted for containing liquids; aliquid print matrix positioned in the interior void of the print chamber; an optical assembly operating to focus light into the interior void of the print chamber to initiate curing processes for a volume of the liquid print matrix to form a 3D object, wherein the light focused into the print chamber displays a real image defining at least an outer shell ofthe 3D object; and a light source illuminating outer surfaces of a target 3D object, wherein the optical assembly comprises a first curved mirror receiving and reflecting light reflected from the outer surfaces of the target 3D object, and wherein the optical assembly further comprises a second curved mirror receiving and reflecting the light reflected fromthe first curved mirror as the light focused into the print chamber.
5. The apparatus of 4, wherein the photo-curing resin is transmissive of light having a wavelength in the wavelength curing range when in liquid form and when in hardened form.
7. An apparatus for generating a physical three dimensional (3D) object, comprising: a print chamber with one or more sidewalls enclosing an interior void adapted for containing liquids; a liquid print matrix positioned in the interior void of the print chamber; and an optical assembly operating to focus light into the interior void of the print chamber to initiate curing processes for a volume of the liquid print matrix to form a 3D object, wherein the light focused into the print chamber displays a real image defining at least an outer shell of the 3D object, wherein the optical assembly comprises curved mirror, a light source directing light through the curved mirror, and a rotation mechanism rotating the curved mirror and the light source along a circular path about a target 3D object, wherein the light source illuminates a plurality of vertical strips of outer surfaces of the target 3D object as the lightsource and the curved mirror are moved along the circular path, and wherein the curved mirror reflects light reflected from the outer surfaces of the target 3D object to provide the light focused into the print chamber.
11. The apparatus of 24, wherein the photo-curingresin is transmissive of light having a wavelength in the wavelength curing range when inliquid form and when in hardened form.
13. A 3D printer, comprising: a tank containing a volume of a photo-curing liquid; a light source directing light, having a wavelength that initiates curing of the photo-curing liquid, onto a 3D object; and optics receiving portions of the light reflected from surfaces of the 3D object and, in response, displaying a real image within the photo-curing liquid, wherein the optics include a first parabolic mirror positioned to focus upon the 3D object and further include a second parabolic mirror receiving the reflected light from the surfaces of the 3D object via reflection from the first parabolic mirror, and wherein the second parabolic mirror is configured to focus withinthe tank to provide display the real image.
15. A 3D printer, comprising: a tank containing a volume of a photo-curing liquid; a light source directing light, having a wavelength that initiates curing of the photo-curing liquid, onto a 3D object; and optics receiving portions of the light reflected from surfaces of the 3D object and, in response, displayinga real image within the photo-curing liquid, wherein the optics comprise a curved mirror and light source rotating circumferentially about the 3D object and to direct a plurality of linear scan strips into the tank that in combination provide the real image.