# US 10,369,627 B2 · Three-dimensional deposition device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,627 B2 - Document ID: US10369627B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/300,099 - Filed: 2015-03-19 - Published: 2017-05-18 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-31 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Hitoshi Yoshimura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369627B2 ## CPC - B29C 64/188: involving additional operations performed on the added layers, e.g. smoothing, grinding or thickness control (surface shaping B29C59/00; after-treatment of articles without altering their shape B29C71/00) - B22F 3/1007: {Atmosphere (B22F3/1021 takes precedence)} - B22F 3/16: in successive or repeated steps - B22F 10/22: Direct deposition of molten metal - B22F 10/50: Treatment of workpieces or articles during build-up, e.g. treatments applied to fused layers during build-up - B22F 12/70: Gas flow means - B23P 23/04: for both machining and other metal-working operations - B29C 64/153: using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B22F 10/32: of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber - B22F 12/10: Auxiliary heating means - B22F 12/30: Platforms or substrates - B22F 12/53: Nozzles - B22F 12/90: Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors - 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 - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - 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 Provided is a three-dimensional deposition device, including: a powder supply unit which supplies a powder material; a light irradiation unit which irradiates the powder material with a light beam so that the powder material irradiated with the light beam is sintered or melted and solidified to form a formed layer; a three-dimensional deposition chamber which is sealed from an outside and accommodates the powder supply unit, the light irradiation unit, and a base unit; a gas discharge unit which discharges a gas inside the three-dimensional deposition chamber; and a gas introduction unit which introduces a predetermined gas into the three-dimensional deposition chamber. When the gas discharge unit discharges a gas inside the three-dimensional deposition chamber and the gas introduction unit introduces a predetermined gas thereinto, a predetermined gas atmosphere is formed inside the three-dimensional deposition chamber. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A three-dimensional deposition device which forms a three-dimensional object by depositing a formed layer on a base unit, comprising: a powder supply unit which supplies a powder material; a light irradiation unit which irradiates the powder material with a light beam, while the powder material is being supplied by the powder supply unit, and sinters or melts and solidifies at least a part of the powder material irradiated with the light beam to form the formed layer; a three-dimensional deposition chamber which is sealed from an outside and accommodates the powder supply unit, the light irradiation unit, and the base unit therein for forming the three-dimensional object therein; a gas discharge unit which discharges a gas inside the three-dimensional deposition chamber; and a gas introduction unit which introduces a predetermined gas into the three-dimensional deposition chamber, wherein, a predetermined gas atmosphere is formed inside the three-dimensional deposition chamber when the gas discharge unit discharges a gas inside the three-dimensional deposition chamber and the gas introduction unit introduces the predetermined gas into the three-dimensional deposition chamber, the powder supply unit injects the powder material from an opening of a front end thereof toward the base unit, the light irradiation unit irradiates the powder material feeding from the powder supply unit toward the base unit with the light beam from the opening of the front end thereof so that the powder material is melted and the melted powder material is solidified on the base unit, and the three-dimensional deposition chamber accommodates the opening of the powder supply unit and the opening of the light irradiation unit, the three-dimensional deposition device further includes; a cover unit provided inside the three-dimensional deposition chamber, the cover unit being attached to the powder supply unit and the light irradiation unit and covering a part in which the formed layer of the base unit is formed; a cover gas discharge unit which discharges a gas inside the cover unit; and a cover gas introduction unit which introduces a predetermined gas into the cover unit, the cover gas introduction unit provided separately from the gas introduction unit, wherein when the cover gas discharge unit discharges a gas inside the cover unit and the cover gas introduction unit introduces the predetermined gas thereinto, the cover unit forms the predetermined gas atmosphere in the periphery of the base unit, and the cover unit moves in one direction together with the powder supply unit and the light irradiation unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1, wherein the powder supply unit is concentrically disposed on an outer periphery of the light irradiation unit, the powder supply unit and the light irradiation unit forms a deposition unit which includes an inner tube surrounding a path causing the light beam of the light irradiation unit to pass therethrough and an outer tube covering the inner tube and forming a powder passage causing the powder material to flow therethrough between the inner tube and the outer tube, and the deposition unit is movable in one direction, and the three-dimensional deposition device includes a telescopic unit which is attached to the deposition unit and expands and contracts in the one direction while sealing the three-dimensional deposition chamber from the outside, in accordance with the movement of the deposition unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 2, wherein the deposition unit is movable only in one axis direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1, comprising: a spare chamber which connects the three-dimensional deposition chamber to the outside of the three-dimensional deposition chamber and is sealed from the three-dimensional deposition chamber and the outside of the three-dimensional deposition chamber, wherein the base unit is moved from the outside of the three-dimensional deposition chamber into the three-dimensional deposition chamber through the spare chamber so that the base unit is accommodated in the three-dimensional deposition chamber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1, wherein the cover unit is provided inside the three-dimensional deposition chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The three-dimensional deposition device according to claim 1, wherein the cover gas discharge unit is provided separately from the gas discharge unit.