# US 2021/0276257 A1 · Laser Oven > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276257 A1 - Document ID: US20210276257A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/189,923 - Filed: 2021-03-02 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-03 - Assignees: Sciperio, Inc - Applicants: Sciperio, Inc - Inventors: Kenneth H. Church; Paul I. Deffenbaugh; Casey W. Perkowski; Curtis Wayne Hill - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276257A1 ## CPC - B29C 64/268: using laser beams; using electron beams [EB] - B22F 10/50: Treatment of workpieces or articles during build-up, e.g. treatments applied to fused layers during build-up - B22F 10/64: by thermal means (control of energy beam parameters for post heating B22F10/364) - B22F 12/00: Apparatus or devices specially adapted for additive manufacturing; Auxiliary means for additive manufacturing; Combinations of additive manufacturing apparatus or devices with other processing apparatus or devices - B22F 12/38: {Housings, e.g. machine housings} - B22F 12/45: Two or more - B22F 12/82: Combination of additive manufacturing apparatus or devices with other processing apparatus or devices - B22F 12/84: Parallel processing within single device - B29C 64/232: for motion along the axis orthogonal to the plane of a layer - B29C 64/25: Housings, e.g. machine housings - B29C 64/364: Conditioning of environment - B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing - B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor - B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling - B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes - B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS] - B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - 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) - 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 - 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 transparent chamber having a space therein for containing an object while heating under vacuum, at least one directed energy source configured to direct energy to heat the object positioned within the space of the transparent chamber, a cap on the transparent chamber, and a connection between the transparent chamber and at least one vacuum for creating a vacuum within the transparent chamber. The apparatus may further include at least one temperature sensor to measure temperature of the object. The apparatus may further include a control system, the control system operatively connected to the at least one temperature sensor and the at least one directed energy source and wherein the control system is a closed loop system to adjust laser power to provide more or less energy to heat or maintain the temperature of the object. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a transparent chamber having a space therein for containing an object while heating under vacuum; at least one directed energy source configured to direct energy to heat the object positioned within the space of the transparent chamber; a cap on the transparent chamber; and a connection between the transparent chamber and at least one vacuum for creating a vacuum within the transparent chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the connection extends through the cap. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second cap on the transparent chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transparent chamber is cylindrical in shape. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transparent chamber is formed from quartz. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a thickness of the quartz is sufficient to handle pressurization created by the at least one vacuum without affecting structural integrity of the transparent chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cap comprises stainless steel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cap is polished and the transparent chamber is polished such that a tight seal is provided between the cap and the transparent chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transparent chamber is coated on an inside to reflect all wavelengths of light except wavelengths from the at least one directed energy source. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the coating comprises a dielectric stack. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one directed energy source comprises a plurality of lasers positioned around the transparent chamber, the plurality of lasers configured to provide a uniform energy pattern on the object. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one temperature sensor to measure temperature of the object. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a control system, the control system operatively connected to the at least one temperature sensor and the at least one directed energy source and wherein the control system is a closed loop system to adjust laser power to provide more or less energy to heat or maintain the temperature of the object. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one directed energy source comprises at least one of a fiber fed laser, a diode laser, an array of diode lasers, a solid-state laser, and a gas laser. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is configured to increase or decrease volume of the space. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plate within the transparent chamber wherein the plate is configured to travel along a Z-axis. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A 3D printer comprising the apparatus of claim 16. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vacuum is reversible to create pressure within the chamber. ### Claim 19 A method for heating an object under vacuum, the method comprising: providing an apparatus comprising a transparent chamber having a space therein for containing the object while heating under vacuum, at least one directed energy source configured to direct energy to heat the object positioned within the space of the transparent chamber, a cap on the transparent chamber, and a connection between the transparent chamber and at least one vacuum; heating the object using the at least one directed energy source; and operating the at least one vacuum to create a vacuum within the transparent chamber during the heating of the object. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 wherein the object is a 3D printed part and wherein the heating is used to sinter the 3D printed part.