Light engines for photo-curing of liquid polymers to form three-dimensional objects
AssigneeNexa3D Inc.
InventorsGianni Zitelli, Avi N. Reichental, Luciano Tringali
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Abstract
Three-dimensional objects are formed by photo-curing a liquid polymer by exposure to a radiation, which radiation (e.g., at 410 nm) is provided by a collimated light source composed of an array of light emitting diode (LED) sources, an array of baffles, and an array of lenses. The baffles limit beam widths of each individual LED source in the array of LED sources, and the array of lenses is located one focal length from said array of LED sources.
Claims14
An apparatus for forming three-dimensional objects by photo-curing a photo-curing liquid polymer by exposure to a radiation, comprising a tank for containing the liquid polymer, and a collimated light source to emit said radiation by which said photo-curing liquid polymer undergoes curing through a radiation-transparent opening in said tank, wherein said collimated light source comprises:
- a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) groups, and, corresponding to each of the LED groups,
- (i) a baffle configured to constrain and direct a first beam of electromagnetic radiation propagating from the LED group;
- and
- (ii) a lens arrangement configured to receive the first beam of electromagnetic radiation, and project a second beam of electromagnetic radiation, said second beam of electromagnetic radiation being characterized by substantially parallel light rays,
- wherein the lens arrangement comprises a first lens configured to receive the first beam of electromagnetic radiation, and project an intermediate beam of electromagnetic radiation;
- and a second lens configured to receive the intermediate beam from the first lens, and project the second beam of electromagnetic radiation towards the photo-curing liquid polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.