# US 10,118,225 B2 · Apparatus for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects

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- Number: US 10,118,225 B2
- Document ID: US10118225B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/812,959
- Filed: 2017-11-14
- Published: 2018-05-17
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-14
- Assignees: Cl Schutzrechtsverwaltungs GmbH
- Applicants: Cl Schutzrechtsverwaltungs GmbH
- Inventors: Jens Stammberger; Alexander Hofmann; Daniel Winiarski
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118225B2

## CPC

- B29C 64/205: Means for applying layers
- B22F 10/00: Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder (apparatus or devices therefor B22F12/00)
- B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
- B22F 12/00: Apparatus or devices specially adapted for additive manufacturing; Auxiliary means for additive manufacturing; Combinations of additive manufacturing apparatus or devices with other processing apparatus or devices
- B22F 12/53: Nozzles
- B22F 12/67: Blades
- B29C 64/153: using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
- B29C 64/227: Driving means
- B29C 64/255: Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B22F 10/10: Formation of a green body
- B22F 12/22: {Driving means}
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

An apparatus (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects (3) by successive, selective layer-by-layer exposure and thus successive, selective layer-by-layer solidification of construction material layers of construction material (4) that can be solidified by means of an energy beam. The apparatus can include a process chamber (14) comprising a working plane (A) with a first working plane area (A1) and another working plane area (A2), a coating device (6) provided for forming construction material layers to be exposed selectively and to be solidified selectively in the construction plane (E) and comprising a coating element assembly group (8) which is movably supported, at least one coating element, a shielding device (18) provided for shielding the second working plane area (A2), wherein the shielding device (18) can include at least one shielding band (20) guided movably along supporting points (19).

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects (3) by successive, selective layer-by-layer exposure and thus successive, selective layer-by-layer solidification of construction material layers of construction material (4) that can be solidified by an energy beam, comprising:
a process chamber (14) comprising a working plane (A) which comprises a first working plane area (A1) comprising a construction plane (E) and a second working plane area (A2) in which at least a part of a coating device (6) is arranged,
wherein the coating device (6) provided for forming construction material layers to be exposed selectively and to be solidified selectively in the construction plane (E) and comprising a coating element assembly group (8) which is movably supported, especially relative to the construction plane (E), via a guiding device (9) and comprises at least one coating element, and
a shielding device (18) provided for shielding the second working plane area (A2) from the intrusion of construction material (4) or impurities arising related to the process, wherein the shielding device (18) comprises at least one shielding band (20) guided movably along supporting points (19) which defines an interior (21), wherein the coating element assembly group (8) is coupled for movement with the shielding band (20) and the guiding device (9) guiding the coating element assembly group (8) is arranged or formed inside the interior (21).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the shielding device (18) comprises at least one outer shielding element (22) extending at least sectionally along the outer circumference of the shielding band (20), wherein the outer shielding element (22) abuts to the outer circumference of the shielding band (20) contacting it sectionally so that a movement of the shielding band (20) relative to the outer shielding element (22) results in a stripping effect of the outer shielding element (22).

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

An apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the shielding device (18) comprises at least two outer shielding elements (22) in an opposing arrangement.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

An apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that a respective outer shielding element (22) is arranged or formed in a deflection area in which the shielding band (20) is deflected via a supporting point (19) from a first extension direction to a second extension direction running angularly to that.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that an outer shielding element (22) comprises at least in the area contacting the outer circumference of the shielding band (20) a stripping section made of elastic material, especially elastomer, felt, or cellular material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that an outer shielding element (22) is moved subject to force, especially subject to spring force, towards the outer circumference of the shielding band (20).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the shielding device (18) comprises at least one inner shielding element (23) extending at least sectionally along the inner circumference of the shielding band (20), wherein the inner shielding element (23) abuts to the inner circumference of the shielding band (20) contacting it sectionally so that a movement of the shielding band (20) relative to the inner shielding element (23) results in a stripping effect of the shielding element (23).

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

An apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that an inner stripping element (23) extends along the inner circumference of the shielding band (20) between two supporting points (19) along which the shielding band (20) extends.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

An apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that an inner shielding element (23) is formed as or at least comprises a brush element which comprises several stripping bristles.

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

An apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that a free end of a first outer shielding element (22) facing a free end of a second outer shielding element (22) is arranged in the range of a first free end of an inner shielding element (23) facing it and a free end of the second outer shielding element (22) facing a free end of the first outer shielding element (22) is arranged in the range of a second free end of the inner shielding element (23) facing it.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that in the area in which a free end of a first outer shielding element (22) facing a free end of a second outer shielding element (22) is arranged in the range of a first free end of the inner shielding element (23) facing it, an injection device comprising at least one, especially nozzle-type, injection element for blowing in or injecting, especially inert, gas is arranged or formed, and/or
in the area in which a free end of the second outer shielding element (22) facing a free end of the first outer shielding element (22) is arranged in the range of a second free end of the inner shielding element (23) facing it, an injection device comprising at least one, especially nozzle-type, injection element for blowing in or injecting, especially inert, gas is arranged or formed.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the shielding band (20) has at least one recess (25) which is reached through by the coating element assembly group (8), especially a coating arm (11) associated with it, at right angles to its longitudinal extension, wherein the coupling for movement between the shielding band (20) and the coating element assembly group (8) is formed by the coating element assembly group (8) reaching through the recess (25) in the shielding band (20).

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the shielding band (20) has two free ends, wherein a first free end is attached to the coating element assembly group (8), especially to a coating arm (11) associated with it, via a first attachment point and a second free end is attached to the coating element assembly group (8), especially a coating arm (11) associated with it, via a second attachment point, wherein the coupling for movement between the shielding band (20) and the coating element assembly group (8) is formed by the attachment of the free ends of the shielding band (20) to the coating element assembly group (8), especially the coating arm associated with it.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the guiding device (9) comprises one or more, especially rail-like, guiding element(s) (9a, 9b) provided for, especially linearly, movably supported guiding of the coating element assembly group (8) along a movement axis defined by the guiding elements (9a, 9b).

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the guiding device (9) is arranged or formed, especially hanging, above the working plane (A).

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the coating element assembly group (8) comprises a first coating element in the form of a coating arm (11) coupled for movement with the guiding device (9) and another coating element in the form of a coating blade element (10) arranged on the coating arm (11) forming a coating blade.