# US 11,298,875 B2 · Jetted material printer with pressure-assisted fluid extraction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,298,875 B2 - Document ID: US11298875B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/198,570 - Filed: 2021-03-11 - Published: 2021-12-09 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-03 - Assignees: Sakuu Corporation - Applicants: Sakuu Corporation - Inventors: Philip Eugene Rogren; Morteza Vatani; Ronald Anthony Rojeski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298875B2 ## CPC - B29C 64/147: using sheet material, e.g. laminated object manufacturing [LOM] or laminating sheet material precut to local cross sections of the 3D object - B22F 10/10: Formation of a green body - B29C 64/112: using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads - 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) - B29C 64/223: Foils or films, e.g. for transferring layers of building material from one working station to another - B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40) - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling - B41J 11/0005: {Curl smoothing, i.e. smoothing down corrugated printing material, e.g. by pressing means acting on wrinkled printing material} - B41J 11/002: {Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating} - B41J 11/0022: {using convection means, e.g. by using a fan for blowing or sucking air} - B41J 11/0024: {using conduction means, e.g. by using a heated platen} - B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy - B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B33Y 40/20: Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing - B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B41J 2002/012: {with intermediate transfer member} - 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 - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A three-dimensional (3D) inkjet printer is configured to build up an object by printing a series of layers and stacking them to form the object. In order to speed printing, drying of each layer is accelerated by using a pressure differential to extract liquid vehicle from the ink, and by moving the printed layer away from the inkjet print heads before drying so that the inkjet print heads may print the next layer. The dried printed layer may also be conditioned and/or cured. Dried printed layers are stacked at a build station to assemble the finished object. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of three-dimensional (3D) printing, comprising: depositing an ink onto a substrate with an inkjet print head to form a printed layer, the ink including a particulate material and a liquid vehicle; transporting the printed layer away from the inkjet print head; removing a portion of the liquid vehicle from the printed layer via a vacuum applied to a lower surface of the printed layer while applying pressure to an upper surface of the printed layer via a pressure plate configured to physically contact the upper surface of the printed layer to form a dried printed layer; and transferring the dried printed layer to a build station to form a stack of printed layers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein removing the portion of the liquid vehicle from the printed layer via the vacuum includes evacuating a space adjacent to the substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the space evacuated is opposite a side of the substrate upon which the printed layer has been deposited. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein transporting the printed layer away from the inkjet print head occurs before removing the portion of the liquid vehicle via the vacuum to form the dried printed layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising conditioning the dried printed layer to increase a density of particulate material in the dried printed layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein conditioning the dried printed layer includes mechanically compressing the particulate material in the dried printed layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein conditioning the dried printed layer includes vibrating the dried printed layer to cause the particulate material to settle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein conditioning the dried printed layer includes applying a surface conditioning material to the dried printed layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ink includes a liquid binder, the method further comprising curing the binder to transform it into a solid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein curing the binder includes irradiating the printed layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein curing the binder is performed after removing-the portion of the liquid vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein removing the portion of the liquid vehicle from the printed layer includes using a pressure differential during transport of the printed layer to the build station. ### Claim 13 A method of three-dimensional (3D) printing, comprising: depositing an ink onto a substrate with an inkjet print head to form a printed layer, the ink including a particulate material and a liquid vehicle; and removing a portion of the liquid vehicle from the printed layer via a vacuum applied to a lower surface of the printed layer while applying pressure to an upper surface of the printed layer via a pressure plate configured to physically contact the upper surface of the printed layer to form a dried printed layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising transferring the dried printed layer to a build station to form a stack of printed layers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising transporting the printed layer away from the inkjet print head. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising conditioning the dried printed layer to increase a density of particulate material in the dried printed layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the ink includes a liquid binder, the method further comprising curing the binder to transform it into a solid.