Method and apparatus for additive fabrication of three-dimensional objects utilizing vesiculated extrusions, and objects thereof
OwnerBrad Michael Bourgoyneinventor
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Abstract
An additive fabrication method for fabricating three-dimensional objects utilizing vesiculated extrusions, and three-dimensional objects thereof, by feeding a feedstock into an extrusion device, melting the feedstock and extruding a bead that is hollowed, aerated, or made to contain a volume of gas or liquid before solidification, and depositing and aggregating successive sections of the bead. An extrusion nozzle includes a mandrel or a tube for introducing a gas or a liquid into the melted feedstock and for forming the feedstock into an extrusion bead.
Claims31
A method of forming an object by additive fabrication comprising the steps of:
- conveying feedstock into an extrusion mechanism;
- melting the feedstock;
- and
- extruding a vesiculated extrusion bead out of a nozzle of the extrusion mechanism defining a section of the object.
An extrusion assembly for an additive fabrication apparatus comprising:
- a nozzle having an interior cavity;
- an orifice positioned at an exit end of the nozzle;
- and
- a means to introduce a vesiculating fluid comprising a liquid or a gas into an extrusion bead.
A three dimensional object fabricated by an additive fabrication process comprising a plurality of vesiculated extrusion beads deposited in successive sections aggregated to form the three-dimensional object, wherein said vesiculated extrusion beads are hollow, cavity-containing, aerated, or made to contain a volume of gas or liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.