# US 11,897,032 B2 · Apparatus for powder bed fusion

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- Number: US 11,897,032 B2
- Document ID: US11897032B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/366,651
- Filed: 2021-07-02
- Published: 2022-03-17
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-14
- Assignees: The Boeing Company
- Applicants: The Boeing Company
- Inventors: Anthony P. Marino; Scott H. Fife; Gary M. Lindahl
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897032B2

## CPC

- B22F 12/30: Platforms or substrates
- B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
- B22F 12/38: {Housings, e.g. machine housings}
- B29C 64/153: using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
- B29C 64/25: Housings, e.g. machine housings
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- 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
- 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)
- 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 includes a wall that defines a shaft, a powder platform configured to support a powder bed within the shaft and configured to move through the shaft, and a sealing device that is in a compressed state from an outer perimeter of the sealing device to an inner perimeter of the sealing device such that the outer perimeter contacts the wall and the inner perimeter contacts the powder platform to form a seal between the powder platform and the wall. Another apparatus includes a wall that defines a shaft, a powder platform configured to support a powder bed within the shaft and configured to move through the shaft, and a sealing device comprising a non-fibrous material that is affixed to the powder platform and extends away from the powder platform, the sealing device contacting the wall to form a seal between the powder platform and the wall.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for powder bed fusion, the apparatus comprising:
a wall that defines a shaft;
a powder platform configured to support a powder bed within the shaft and configured to move through the shaft, the powder platform comprising:
a body;
a first member that extends toward the wall and away from the body; and
a second member that extends toward the wall and away from the body, wherein the body, the first member, and the second member form a cavity; and
a sealing device that is in a compressed state from an outer perimeter of the sealing device to an inner perimeter of the sealing device such that the outer perimeter contacts the wall and the inner perimeter contacts the powder platform to form a seal between the powder platform and the wall, wherein the sealing device is positioned within the cavity,
wherein the sealing device comprises:
a first arm that contacts the first member and is positioned within the cavity;
a second arm that contacts the wall; and
a base that joins the first arm and the second arm and contacts the second member,
wherein a portion of the powder bed that is between the first arm and the second arm applies a first force directed toward the powder platform against the first arm and a second force directed toward the wall against the second arm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sealing device comprises a non-fibrous surface that contacts the wall at the outer perimeter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the non-fibrous surface comprises a solid lubricant.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wall has as a substantially circular shape.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wall is a first wall, the apparatus further comprising a second wall, a third wall, and a fourth wall, the shaft having a rectangular shape defined by the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, and the fourth wall.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sealing device exerts a force against the wall via the outer perimeter and against the powder platform via the inner perimeter.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer perimeter substantially conforms to the wall.

### Claim 8

An apparatus for powder bed fusion, the apparatus comprising:
a wall that defines a shaft;
a powder platform configured to support a powder bed within the shaft and configured to move through the shaft; and
a sealing device that is affixed to the powder platform and extends away from the powder platform, the sealing device contacting the wall to form a seal between the powder platform and the wall,
wherein the sealing device comprises:
a first arm contacting the powder platform; and
a second arm contacting the wall, wherein a portion of the powder bed that is between the first arm and the second arm applies a first force directed toward the powder platform against the first arm and a second force directed toward the wall against the second arm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sealing device further comprises a pointed end that joins the first arm and the second arm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the portion of the powder bed that is between the first arm and the second arm forces the first arm and the second arm away from each other.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sealing device comprises a foam material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sealing device comprises graphite.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sealing device has an outer perimeter that substantially conforms to the wall.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sealing device comprises a solid lubricant.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the wall has as a substantially circular shape.

### Claim 16 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sealing device is configured to scrape powder accumulated on the wall away from the wall.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sealing device is configured to scrape powder accumulated on the wall away from the wall.

### Claim 18 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sealing device further comprises a base that joins the first arm and the second arm.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the portion of the powder bed that applies the first force and the second force additionally applies a force to the base that is parallel to the wall.

### Claim 20 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the pointed end is configured to scrape powder accumulated on the wall away from the wall.