US 2018/0001554 A1 · 3-D ELECTROSTATIC PRINTER USING TRACK BOUND PLATENS AND REGISTRATION SYSTEM

Abstract

3-D printing system include development stations positioned to electrostatically transfer build and support materials to an intermediate transfer surface, a transfer station adjacent the intermediate transfer surface, guides adjacent the transfer station, and platens moving on the guides. The guides are shaped to direct the platens to repeatedly pass the transfer station and come in contact with the intermediate transfer surface at the transfer station. The intermediate transfer surface transfers a layer of the build and support materials to the platens each time the platens contact the intermediate transfer surface at the transfer station to successively form layers of the build and support materials on the platens. The platens and the intermediate transfer surface include alignment features. The alignment features temporarily join at the transfer station, as the platens pass the transfer station, to align the platens with the intermediate transfer surface as the platens contact the intermediate transfer surface.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A three-dimensional (3-D) printing system comprising:

an intermediate transfer surface;
development stations positioned to electrostatically transfer build and support materials to said intermediate transfer surface;
a transfer station adjacent said intermediate transfer surface;
guides adjacent said transfer station;
and
platens moving on said guides,
said guides are shaped to direct said platens to pass said transfer station and come in contact with said intermediate transfer surface at said transfer station,
said intermediate transfer surface transfers a layer of said build and support materials to said platens each time said platens contact said intermediate transfer surface at said transfer station to successively form layers of said build and support materials on said platens,
said platens include first alignment features,
said intermediate transfer surface includes second alignment features, and
said first alignment features temporarily join with said second alignment features at said transfer station, as said platens pass said transfer station, to align said platens with said intermediate transfer surface as said platens contact said intermediate transfer surface.

8 more elements

A three-dimensional (3-D) printing system comprising:

an intermediate transfer belt (ITB);
development stations positioned to electrostatically transfer build and support materials to said ITB;
a transfer station adjacent said ITB;
guides adjacent said transfer station, said guides define a path;
and
wheeled platens moving on said guides,
said guides restrict movement of said wheeled platens to only said path,
said guides are shaped to direct said wheeled platens to repeatedly pass said transfer station and come in contact with said ITB at said transfer station,
said ITB transfers a layer of said build and support materials to said wheeled platens each time said wheeled platens contact said ITB at said transfer station to successively form layers of said build and support materials on said wheeled platens,
said wheeled platens include first alignment projections,
said ITB includes second alignment projections,
said first alignment projections temporarily join with said second alignment projections at said transfer station, as said wheeled platens pass said transfer station, to align said wheeled platens with said ITB as said wheeled platens contact said ITB, and
said wheeled platens include a height adjustment that moves the top surface said platen away from said ITB as a stack of said layers on said wheeled platens becomes larger.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

3-d electrostatic printer using track bound platens and registration system

Life of this patent

3-d electrostatic printer using track bound platens and registration system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20