The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 30, 2018
Filed:
Oct. 25, 2015
Phoenix Analysis and Design Technologies, Inc., Tempe, AZ (US);
Phoenix Analysis and Design Technologies, Inc., Tempe, AZ (US);
Abstract
Provided is a method and device for removing chemically dissolvable support material from objects created by a three-dimensional printing process. In one exemplary embodiment a tank for holding a cleaning solution has a cleaning section and a fluid handling section, and a full level below a top rim thereof. A generally box-shaped parts basket configured to be removeably installed within the cleaning section of the tank has four fluid impermeable walls, a bottom panel perforated throughout with an array of holes, and an openable top cover, wherein the openable top cover is below the full level of the tank and the bottom panel of the parts basket is supported above a floor of the tank when the parts basket is installed. A fluid pump disposed in a fluid handling section of the main tank is configured to inject a fluid stream into the parts basket at a downward angle with respect to horizontal, and at a lateral angle with respect to a line passing through a center of the parts basket, with sufficient velocity and flow rate to induce a fluid current that circulates around an interior of the parts basket as it continuously descends and exits the parts basket through the perforated bottom panel.