Apparatus for building three-dimensional objects with sheets

An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of material solidifiable upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein said sheets solidify to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

• a source of said sheets;
• means for dispensing successive sheets from said source onto a working surface;
• a source of said synergistic stimulation;
• means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by selectively exposing first portions of said successive sheets to said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said successive cross-sections, whereupon said first portions solidify, and unexposed regions comprise second portions of said sheets;
• means for substantially removing at least some material from said second portions of said sheets;
• means for transporting said successive cross-sections from said working surface to a position adjacent to at least one previously formed cross-section;
• means for adhering said successive cross-sections to said at least one previously formed cross-section, said three-dimensional object being formed from a plurality of adhered cross-sections.

An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of insoluble material which becomes soluble upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein portions of said sheets form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

• a source of said sheets;
• means for dispensing successive sheets from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections;
• a source of said synergistic stimulation;
• means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by selectively exposing first portions of said sheets to said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said cross-sections that are to become soluble, whereupon said first portions become soluble, and unexposed regions comprise insoluble second portions of said sheets to form successive cross-sections of said object;
• means for adhering said successive cross-sections to said previously formed cross-sections to form said object;
• and
• means for substantially dissolving at least some material in said first portions of said sheets in said developer.

An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of material which is capable of selective cutting upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein said sheets are cut to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

• a source of said sheets;
• means for dispensing successive sheets having first and second portions, from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections prior to forming said successive cross-sections from said successive sheets;
• a source of said synergistic stimulation;
• means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by tracing at least perimeters of said first portions of said sheets with said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said perimeters of said successive cross-sections to cut and thereby separate said first portions from said second portions, wherein said first portions form successive cross-sections and are adhered together to form said object and wherein said second portions are removed;
• means for adhering at least parts of said first portions of said successive cross-sections to said previously formed cross-sections;
• and
• means for removing at least some material in said second portions of said sheets.

An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of insoluble material which becomes soluble upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein portions of said sheets form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

• a source of said sheets;
• means for dispensing successive sheets from said source onto a working surface;
• a source of said synergistic stimulation;
• means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by selectively exposing first portions of said sheets to said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said cross-sections that are to become soluble, whereupon said first portions become soluble and unexposed regions comprise second portions of said sheets to form successive cross-sections of said object;
• means for substantially removing at least some material from said first portions of said sheets;
• means for transporting said successive cross-sections from said working surface to a position adjacent to at least one previously formed cross-section;
• means for adhering said successive cross-sections to said at least one previously formed cross-section, said three-dimensional object being formed from a plurality of adhered cross-sections.

An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of material which is capable of selective cutting upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein said sheets are cut to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

• a source of said sheets;
• means for dispensing successive sheets having first and second portions, from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections;
• a source of said synergistic stimulation;
• means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by tracing at least perimeters of said first portions of said sheets with said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said perimeters of said successive cross-sections to cut and thereby separate said first portions from said second portions, wherein said first portions form successive cross-sections to form said object and wherein said second portions are removed;
• means for adhering at least one of said successive sheets to said previously formed cross-sections prior to said at least one sheet being formed into a cross-section;
• and
• means for removing at least some material in said second portions of said sheets.

An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of material which is capable of selective cutting upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein said sheets are cut to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

• a source of said sheets;
• means for dispensing successive sheets having first and second portions, from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections;
• a source of said synergistic stimulation;
• means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by tracing at least perimeters of said first portions of said sheets with said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said perimeters of said successive cross-sections to cut and thereby separate said first portions from said second portions, wherein said first portions form successive cross-sections and wherein said second portions are removed;
• means for selectively adhering said successive cross-sections to said previously formed cross-sections to form said three-dimensional object;
• and
• means for removing at least some material in said second portions of said sheets wherein said removal means includes means to dissect said second portions into pieces wherever said second portions are adjacent to fragile portions of said cross-sections.

An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from sheets of material which is capable of selective cutting upon exposure to synergistic stimulation, wherein said sheets are cut to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

• a source of said sheets;
• means for dispensing successive sheets having first and second portions, from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections;
• a source of said synergistic stimulation;
• means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by tracing at least perimeters of said first portions of said sheets with said synergistic stimulation according to corresponding representations of said perimeters of said successive cross-sections to cut and thereby separate said first portions from said second portions, wherein said first portions form successive cross-sections and are adhered to previously formed cross-sections to form said object and wherein said second portions are removed;
• means for adhering said successive cross-sections to previously formed cross-sections;
• means for removing at least some material in said second portions of said sheets including means for ablating any parts of said second portions of a sheet which were first portions on a previously formed adjacent cross-section.

An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object from a plurality of sheets stacked along a vertical axis, from material which is capable of selective cutting upon exposure to synergistic stimulation from a first source, wherein said sheets are cut to form cross-sections of said object, comprising:

• a source of said sheets;
• means for dispensing successive sheets having first and second portions, from said source onto a working surface adjacent to previously formed cross-sections;
• a source of said synergistic stimulation;
• means for forming successive cross-sections of said object by tracing at least a perimeter of said first portions of said sheets with said synergistic stimulation from below said sheets according to corresponding representations of said perimeters of said successive cross-sections to cut and thereby separate said first portions from said second portions, wherein said first portions form successive cross-sections and are adhered to previously formed cross-sections to form said object and wherein said second portions are removed;
• means for adhering said successive cross-sections to previously formed cross-sections;
• and
• means for removing at least some material in said second portions.