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US 12,390,989 B2Granted
Methods and apparatuses for hollow and multi-material stereolithography
AssigneeUniversity of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsToshikazu Nishida, Aftab Bhanvadia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described herein are stereolithographic methods for preparing 3D objects comprising hollow regions and/or multiple materials. In certain embodiments, the methods comprise applying a blocking composition to fill hollow regions in the 3D printed object. In certain embodiments, an absorbent is applied to dispense material into the 3D printed objects and to remove unwanted resin from the hollow regions. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the modular stereolithographic apparatuses described herein contain an invertible, double vat, which enables users easy access to multiple materials throughout the 3D printing process.
Claims22
A stereolithographic method for preparing a three-dimensional (3D) object having one or more hollow regions, the stereolithographic method comprising:
- forming one or more layers of a first resin;
- exposing the one or more layers of the first resin to ultraviolet (UV) light to at least partially cure the first resin and form one or more first cured resin layers having one or more trenches therein;
- disposing one or more volumes of a blocking composition within the one or more trenches to form one or more blocking composition-filled trenches within the one or more first cured resin layers, wherein the blocking composition comprises particles configured to modify a viscoelasticity of the blocking composition such that the blocking composition is temporarily retained within the one or more trenches formed in the one or more first cured resin layers;
- disposing one or more volumes of a second resin onto a top surface of the one or more blocking composition-filled trenches within the one or more first cured resin layers;
- exposing the one or more volumes of the second resin to UV light to at least partially cure the second resin, thereby forming one or more capping layers over the one or more blocking composition-filled trenches in the one or more first cured resin layers, wherein the one or more capping layers at least partially encapsulate the one or more blocking composition-filled trenches in the one or more first cured resin layers;
- and
- removing some or all of the blocking composition encapsulated within the one or more blocking composition-filled trenches of the one or more first cured resin layers to form the 3D object having the one or more hollow regions between the one or more trenches of the one or more first cured resin layers and the one or more capping layers disposed above the one or more trenches of the one or more first cured resin layers.
4 more elements
A stereolithographic method for preparing a multi-material three-dimensional (3D) object, the stereolithographic method comprising:
- forming one or more first layers of a first resin on a support surface;
- forming one or more second layers of the first resin on the one or more first layers of the first resin;
- exposing the first resin to ultraviolet (UV) light to form a cured first resin structure having one or more trenches formed in the one or more second layers;
- communicating one or more volumes of a blocking composition into the one or more trenches of the cured first resin structure by contacting the one or more trenches with a blocking composition-infused absorbent such that the one or more volumes of the blocking composition are communicated from the blocking composition-infused absorbent and into the one or more trenches, wherein the blocking composition comprises particles configured to increase a viscoelasticity of the blocking composition such that the blocking composition is temporarily retained within the one or more trenches, the particles being further configured to absorb, reflect, or scatter UV light;
- disposing one or more volumes of a second resin at least partially over the one or more trenches or onto one or more top surfaces of the one or more volumes of the blocking composition;
- and
- exposing the one or more volumes of the second resin to UV light to at least partially cure the one or more volumes of the second resin and form one or more capping layers that encapsulate the one or more volumes of the blocking composition within the one or more trenches, thereby forming a multi-material 3D object.
4 more elements
A stereolithographic method for preparing a three-dimensional (3D) object, the stereolithographic method comprising:
- forming one or more first layers of a first resin on a support surface;
- forming one or more second layers of the first resin on the one or more first layers of the first resin;
- exposing the first resin to ultraviolet (UV) light to form a cured first resin structure having one or more trenches formed in the one or more second layers;
- communicating one or more volumes of a blocking composition into the one or more trenches of the cured first resin structure by submerging the one or more trenches in a blocking composition bath comprising the blocking composition such that the one or more volumes of the blocking composition are communicated into the one or more trenches, wherein the blocking composition comprises nanoparticles configured to increase a viscoelasticity of the blocking composition such that the blocking composition is temporarily retained within the one or more trenches, the nanoparticles being further configured to absorb, reflect, or scatter UV light;
- disposing one or more volumes of a second resin at least partially over the one or more trenches or onto one or more top surfaces of the one or more volumes of the blocking composition communicated into the one or more trenches of the cured first resin structure;
- and
- exposing the one or more volumes of the second resin to UV light to at least partially cure the one or more volumes of the second resin and form one or more capping layers that at least partially encapsulate the one or more volumes of the blocking composition within the one or more trenches.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.