Minolta Company, Ltd.

Naoki Kubo

Nobukazu Kawagoe

Hideaki Nakanishi

Shigeru Oyokota

Jun Koreishi

Toshio Norita

Koji Yamamoto

Takashi Matsuo

Masahide Ueda

Fumiya Yagi

Makoto Miyazaki

Masashi Nishikado

Akira Wada

Shigeaki Tochimoto

Akiyoshi Kamisaki

To provide a three-dimensional molding technique capable of generating a three-dimensional molded article in short time. In a three-dimensional molding apparatus, a powder material is allowed to drop via an opening while moving a thin layer formation section in the +X direction, thereby forming a powder layer on a molding stage. With respect to a selected region in the powder layer, a binder of ultraviolet-ray hardening resin is discharged from a head section. Then, the powder layer is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from an ultraviolet irradiation section, making the ultraviolet-ray hardening resin applied on the powder layer harden to thereby bind the powder material. By repeating this operation with respect to the powder layer which is sequentially formed, a three-dimensional molded article is formed. In this way, since an ultraviolet-ray hardening resin is used as a binder and a powder material can be bound rapidly by ultraviolet irradiation, it is possible to generate a three-dimensional molded article in short time.

Three-dimensional molding apparatus and three-dimensional molding method

In a 3D product forming apparatus, a nozzle head includes nozzles that respectively jet binders colored in yellow, magenta, cyan, and a nozzle that jets a binder colored in white. A powder layer can be formed on a product forming stage, and the binders are jetted onto the formed powder layer from the nozzle head. At a predetermined region in the powder layer, the powder is bound by the binders. The binders are jetted each time when a powder layer is laminated in forming a plurality of successively laminated powder layers, thereby to form a 3D product on the product forming stage. This allows the product to be colored as well in the product forming process. As a result, 3D products colored in various colors can be created in a short time and at a low cost.

Apparatus for forming a three-dimensional product

Data defining an outline shape of a section, color-region image data and adhesion-region image data are generated, color toners are transferred onto a color region and an adhesion region on a sheet in accordance with the respective image data, the sheet is aligned on processed sheets and laminated thereon. Next, a laminated body of the sheets is bonded by heating and pressurizing, and the laminated and bonded sheets are cut along the sectional outline shape. Further, sectional shape data of a solid model are generated and a transparent toner is transferred as an adhesive onto the adhesion region of the sheet. Then, after aligning and laminating the sheet on the processed sheets, the transparent toner is melted to bond the sheets. Color toners are transferred onto the color region of the sheet and the sheet is cut along the outline shape. Furthermore, the color region is defined on a transparent sheet in accordance with the sectional shape of the solid model. After entirely covering the color region with a white toner layer, a three-primary-color toner layer in which the three primary color toners are spatially tone-distributed is applied to the color region, to form a colored layer of double-layered structure. Alternatively, a colored layer is formed of one-layered structure in which the white toner fills clearances of dots of the three primary color toners.

Apparatus and method for forming three-dimensional object

Ejection nozzles ( ) are located in a nozzle surface ( ) of an ejection head ( ). A distance (H: Ha-Hg) between each of the ejection nozzles ( ) and a printing object ( ) is obtained and compared with a permissible distance (H ) which is determined by the required level of print quality. The ejection nozzles ( ) whose distances (H) from the printing object ( ) are not more than the permissible distance (H ) are enabled for ink ejection, while the ejection nozzles ( ) whose distances (H) are greater than the permissible distance (H ) are disabled for ink ejection. The surface of a printing object ( ) is divided into a plurality of target areas ( ), each of which is then approximated by a projective plane ( ). Then, image data about a projected image ( ) which is obtained by orthogonal projection of a print image ( ) onto the projective planes ( ), is obtained from print image data about an image to be printed on the surface of the printing object ( ). According to the projected image data obtained, printing is performed on the target area ( ) while moving a ink-jet printhead ( ) in parallel with the projective planes ( ). This inhibits image degradation during printing on a three-dimensional printing object and also facilitates control of the inclination and position of the ejection head relative to the printing object, thereby permitting high-speed printing.

Three-dimensional object printing apparatus and method

A three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a shape recognition section for obtaining three-dimensional shape data about a surface shape of a three-dimensional object by measurement or the like; an ejection section for ejecting ink toward the three-dimensional object; a scanning section for causing the ejection section to scan relative to the three-dimensional object; and a control section for controlling an operation of the ejection section and/or the scanning section in accordance with information about inclination of the surface of the three-dimensional object, the information being indicated in the data obtained by the shape recognition section. The printing apparatus performs printing in accordance with the information obtained by measurement on the surface inclination of the object to achieve a high-quality printing process. More specifically, a mode of operation is determined for each of a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction in accordance with an inclination angle of an inclined surface with respect to each of the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction. The printing operation is performed based on the mode of operation.

Apparatus for and method of printing on three-dimensional object

A running and working robot for performing a prescribed work while it runs includes a body with a running unit, and a working unit for working, and the body is coupled to the working unit by means of a coupling member with a buffer member. As a result, even when an excessive force or shock is given to the coupling portion between the working unit and the body, damage to the coupling portion can be prevented.

Running and working robot not susceptible to damage at a coupling unit

An unmanned working vehicle of the present invention comprises a work mechanism section which performs a specified work, and a main body section having a wheel for moving said unmanned working vehicle and a driver for driving said work mechanism section or said main body section, wherein said driver having a weight and being arranged on the side opposite from said work mechanism section relative to said wheel, whereby the center of gravity of said unmanned working vehicle is located on or near said wheel.

Unmanned working vehicle

An apparatus of spreading a fluid on the floor includes four rectangular application rotating bodies partially overlapping each other, and four nozzles supplying the fluid provided in rotation areas of the respective application rotating bodies. The rotation position of the application rotating body is detected by a light shielding plate and a photosensor. A control portion controls each component so that the fluid is applied onto the floor from a tank through the nozzle by a pump when the application rotating body is not directly under the nozzle. As a result, the apparatus of spreading a fluid on the floor capable of optimally controlling the quantity of the fluid to be applied according to the application condition can be provided.

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Nishinomiya, Japan

Naoki Kubo