# US 12,179,261 B2 · Drying device for a powdered build material, and installation for producing three-dimensional components > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,261 B2 - Document ID: US12179261B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/814,913 - Filed: 2022-07-26 - Published: 2023-02-02 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-07-26 - Assignees: One Click Metal GmbH - Applicants: One Click Metal GmbH - Inventors: Roman Denisov; Björn Ullmann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179261B2 ## CPC - B22F 1/145: Chemical treatment, e.g. passivation or decarburisation - B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] - B22F 12/41: characterised by the type, e.g. laser or electron beam - B22F 12/52: Hoppers - B29C 64/255: Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers - B29C 64/314: Preparation - B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling - B29C 64/364: Conditioning of environment - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B33Y 40/10: Pre-treatment - 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 A drying device for a powdered building material, in particular for a building station, unpacking station and/or sieve station which can be combined to form an installation for producing three-dimensional components by layer-by-layer solidification by means of a beam acting on the powdered building material, having a container which has a container base and, opposite the container base, a container opening, having a connection flange which has a fastening portion for releasably receiving the container opening of the container, having a connection portion which is located opposite the fastening portion of the connection flange and has a through-opening, having a membrane which closes the through-opening and can be connected to the connection portion, having a retaining element arranged in the container, by means of which retaining element drying agent stored in the container is held separate or remote from the membrane, and a drying space which receives the drying agent and a free space arranged between the retaining element and the membrane is formed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drying device for a powdered building material, for a building station, unpacking station and/or sieve station which are combinable to form an installation for producing three-dimensional components by layer-by- layer solidification by means of a beam acting on the powdered building material, having a container which has a container base and, opposite the container base, a container opening, having a connection flange which has a fastening portion for releasably receiving the container opening of the container, having a connection portion which is located opposite the fastening portion of the connection flange and has a through-opening, having a membrane which closes the through-opening and which is connectable to the connection portion, having a retaining element arranged in the container, by means of which retaining element drying agent stored in the container is held separate or remote from the membrane, and a drying space which receives the drying agent and a free space arranged between the retaining element and the membrane is formed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drying device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining element is provided in a replaceable manner in the container. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drying device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining element is in the form of a mesh, screen or in the form of a support structure having a membrane, which has an annular collar which engages an inner circumferential wall of the container by friction and/or clamping. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drying device according to claim 1, wherein at least one seal is provided between the container and the fastening portion of the connection flange. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The drying device according to claim 1, wherein the membrane is held at the connection portion of the connection flange by a seal, in particular a flat seal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The drying device according to claim 1, wherein the membrane is in the form of a moisture-permeable membrane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drying device according to claim 1, wherein the container is formed at least in some regions of a transparent material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drying device according to claim 1, wherein a fill quantity of drying agent is provided in the drying space, so that at least one tenth of the volume of the drying space, or at least half of the volume of the drying space, is free of drying agent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The drying device according to claim 8, wherein there is provided as the drying agent a powdered, spherical or pebble-shaped material which takes up moisture by adsorption. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The drying device according to claim 8, wherein the drying agent indicates the absorption of moisture by a color change.