3d Systems, Inc.

Quadrax Corporation

Timmy B Heller

Ray M Hill

Abdalla F Saggal

Michael R Greenhalgh

A solid three-dimensional article is formed from a liquid medium by initially coating a layer of the liquid medium on a fixedly mounted apertured support plate. An initial cross-section or profile of the article then is formed by solidifying the liquid medium, or at least a portion thereof, on the support plate. In another embodiment, each layer of the liquid medium is formed by dispensing the entire layer from above the fixed support plate. In a further embodiment, a device is disclosed for dispensing a liquid medium in layers of uniform thickness on the medium surface of a laser modeling machine, for solidification when subjected to prescribed energy. The dispenser comprises an elongated applicator or coating bar of rectangular, essentially solid construction, with a liquid medium reservoir and dispensing passageways located adjacent a dispensing side of the bar. A feed tube and traversing mechanism support rods are secured to an opposite side of the bar. The dispensing passageways may be apertures arranged in multiple rows, with the apertures in at least one row offset with respect to the apertures in the other rows, for more uniform dispensing. In the alternative, the passageways may be inclined slots having portions overlapping in a direction extending longitudinally of the bar.

Method of making a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid medium

Apparatus for making a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid

Applicator device and method for dispensing a liquid medium in a laser

A solid three-dimensional article is formed from a liquid medium by initially coating a layer of the liquid medium on an apertured support plate. An initial cross-section or profile of the article then is formed by solidifying the liquid medium, or at least a portion thereof, on the support plate. An expandable member at a bottom of a container for holding a supply of the liquid medium, then is expanded an incremental amount to raise the level of the liquid medium in the container upward through the apertured support plate to a level above the support plate so as to form a meniscus around the solidified cross-section or profile of the article. The solidified cross-section or profile of the article then is coated with an additional layer of the liquid medium, causing the meniscus to break and the just-added liquid medium layer and the previous liquid medium to merge, whereupon the additional layer is essentially immediately solidified to form another cross-section or profile of the article. The expandable member then is again expanded an incremental amount to again raise the level of the liquid medium in the container upward to define a meniscus around the second solidified cross-section or profile of the article. The foregoing sequence of operation then is repeated until the article has been completely formed.

Apparatus for forming a solid three-dimensional article from a liquid

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Attleboro, MA, United States of America

Timmy B Heller