Apparatus and method for forming an integral object from laminations

A method of forming an integral three-dimensional object from laminations, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a platform in proximity to means for forming a material into a plurality of individually contoured laminations and providing a support structure for said laminations;
• providing electronic means for controlling the operation of said lamination forming and support structure providing means;
• entering data representing the geometry of said three-dimensional object into said electronic means and thereafter instructing electronic means to manipulate said lamination forming and support structure providing means in a pre-selected sequence to perform sequential bonding and cutting of said laminations in precise registration to one another and to form a bonded support structure for said laminations, each of said individually contoured laminations representing a cross-section of said three-dimensional object;
• and
• separating said individually contoured laminations from said support structure, obtaining as a result said three-dimensional object represented by one of said support structure and said individually contoured laminations;
• said material comprising said individually contoured laminations being a multimaterial sheet where at least one material comprising said sheet is a primary material serving as a carrier for a secondary material adapted to facilitate bonding of said individually contoured laminations to each other;
• portions of said primary layer or said secondary layer of material which do not belong to said three-dimensional object and remain unremoved after forming said individually contoured laminations being removed from said three-dimensional object by chemical etching after forming said three-dimensional object.

A method of forming an integral three-dimensional object from laminations, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a platform in proximity to means for forming a material into a plurality of individually contoured laminations and providing a support structure for said laminations;
• providing electronic means for controlling the operation of said lamination forming and support structure providing means;
• entering data representing the geometry of said three-dimensional object into said electronic means and thereafter instructing electronic means to manipulate said lamination forming and support structure providing means in a pre-selected sequence to perform sequential bonding and cutting of said laminations in precise registration to one another and to form a bonded support structure for said laminations, each of said individually contoured laminations representing a cross-section of said three-dimensional object;
• and
• separating said individually contoured laminations from said support structure, obtaining as a result said three-dimensional object represented by one of said support structure and said individually contoured laminations;
• said material comprising said individually contoured laminations being a multimaterial sheet where at least one material comprising said sheet is a primary material serving as a carrier for a secondary material adapted to facilitate bonding of said individually contoured laminations to each other;
• said secondary layer of material serving as a protective cover for said primary layer of material in a chemical etching process used for forming said individually contoured laminations, and said individually contoured laminations being formed by, first, using said lamination forming means in a selective removal of portions of said secondary layer of material and then chemically etching said primary layer of material within the areas of overlapping removed areas of said secondary layer of material.

A method of forming an integral three-dimensional object from laminations, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a platform in proximity to means for forming a material into a plurality of individually contoured laminations and providing a support structure for said laminations;
• providing electronic means for controlling the operation of said lamination forming and support structure providing means;
• entering data representing the geometry of said three-dimensional object into said electronic means and thereafter instructing electronic means to manipulate said lamination forming and support structure providing means in a pre-selected sequence to perform sequential bonding and cutting of said laminations in precise registration to one another and to form a bonded support structure for said laminations, each of said individually contoured laminations representing a cross-section of said three-dimensional object;
• and
• separating said individually contoured laminations from said support structure, obtaining as a result said three-dimensional object represented by one of said support structure and said individually contoured laminations;
• said material comprising said individually contoured laminations being a multimaterial sheet where at least one material comprising said sheet is a primary material serving as a carrier for a secondary material adapted to facilitate bonding of said individually contoured laminations to each other;
• portions of said material which do not belong to any of said individually contoured laminations not being removed from said platform after forming said individually contoured laminations;
• said portions of material which do not belong to one of said individually contoured laminations being prevented from integrally bonding to a preceding layer of said three-dimensional object by using said lamination forming means to selectively burn, dry, cure or deactivate at least some of said material of said layer preceding said lamination.

A method of forming an integral three-dimensional object from laminations, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a platform in proximity to means for forming a material into a plurality of individually contoured laminations and providing a support structure for said laminations;
• providing electronic means for controlling the operation of said lamination forming and support structure providing means;
• entering data representing the geometry of said three-dimensional object into said electronic means and thereafter instructing electronic means to manipulate said lamination forming and support structure providing means in a pre-selected sequence to perform sequential bonding and cutting of said laminations in precise registration to one another and to form a bonded support structure for said laminations, each of said individually contoured laminations representing a cross-section of said three-dimensional object;
• and
• separating said individually contoured laminations from said support structure, obtaining as a result said three-dimensional object represented by one of said support structure and said individually contoured laminations;
• said material comprising said individually contoured laminations being a multimaterial sheet where at least one material comprising said sheet is a primary material serving as a carrier for a secondary material adapted to facilitate bonding of said individually contoured laminations to each other;
• portions of said material which do not belong to any of said individually contoured laminations not being removed from said platform after forming said individually contoured laminations;
• said unremoved portions of said material being prevented from integrally bonding to said three-dimensional object by selectively activating adhesive properties of said secondary material by a laser beam only within the periphery of said individually contoured laminations.

A method of forming an integral three-dimensional object from laminations, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a platform in proximity to means for forming a material into a plurality of individually contoured laminations and providing a support structure for said laminations;
• providing electronic means for controlling the operation of said lamination forming and support structure providing means;
• entering data representing the geometry of said three-dimensional object into said electronic means and thereafter instructing electronic means to manipulate said lamination forming and support structure providing means in a pre-selected sequence to perform sequential bonding and cutting of said laminations in precise registration to one another and to form a bonded support structure for said laminations, each of said individually contoured laminations representing a cross-section of said three-dimensional object;
• and
• separating said individually contoured laminations from said support structure, obtaining as a result said three-dimensional object represented by one of said support structure and said individually contoured laminations;
• said material comprising said individually contoured laminations being a multimaterial sheet where at least one material comprising said sheet is a primary material serving as a carrier for a secondary material adapted to facilitate bonding of said individually contoured laminations to each other;
• portions of said material which do not belong to any of said individually contoured laminations not being removed from said platform after forming said individually contoured laminations;
• said unremoved portions of said material being cut in a crosshatching fashion into multiple pieces which, after said assembling step, are separated from said three-dimensional object by mechanical means.

A method of forming an integral three-dimensional object from laminations, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a platform in proximity to means for forming a material into a plurality of individually contoured laminations and providing a support structure for said laminations;
• providing electronic means for controlling the operation of said lamination forming and support structure providing means;
• entering data representing the geometry of said three-dimensional object into said electronic means and thereafter instructing electronic means to manipulate said lamination forming and support structure providing means in a pre-selected sequence to perform sequential bonding and cutting of said laminations in precise registration to one another and to form a bonded support structure for said laminations, each of said individually contoured laminations representing a cross-section of said three-dimensional object;
• and
• separating said individually contoured laminations from said support structure, obtaining as a result said three-dimensional object represented by one of said support structure and said individually contoured laminations;
• said individually contoured laminations being formed by a laser beam or a beam of other source of energy transmitted through a flat piece of material transparent to said beam or through a screen having wires thinner than said laser beam or beam of said other source of energy passing therethrough.

An apparatus for forming an integral three-dimensional object from laminations, comprising:

• means for storing and supplying a material in layer-by-layer fashion;
• concentrated energy or matter means for forming at least a portion of each layer of said material into an individually contoured lamination in a shape required for assembly of a plurality of said individually contoured laminations in a preselected sequence into said three-dimensional object;
• electronic means for controlling the operation of said lamination forming means to provide said individually contoured laminations for said three-dimensional object in a manner forming a bonded support structure in response to data entered concerning said three-dimensional object;
• means for assembling said plurality of individually contoured laminations formed from said material in said preselected sequence into the form of said three-dimensional object;
• said plurality of individually contoured laminations being assembled such that each of said laminations is integrally bonded to the next adjacent of said individually contoured laminations to complete formation of said integral three-dimensional object;
• and
• means for separating said individually contoured laminations from said bonded support structure, obtaining as a result said three-dimensional object represented by one of said support structure and said individually contoured laminations;
• said lamination forming means including a platform capable of holding a sheet material comprising said individually contoured laminations through a suction force applied through a flat filter screen, or a magnetic, an electrostatic or a gravity force, and where said platform is carried by a conveyor, or a linear slide, or a rotary table, or it is comprised of the surface of said conveyor or said rotary table;
• and where said material carried by said platform can face the ground, or away from the ground;
• and where said platform is capable of carrying said material from a station where it is formed into said laminations to a station where said laminations are assembled into said three-dimensional object.

An apparatus for forming an integral three-dimensional object from laminations, comprising:

• means for storing and supplying a material in layer-by-layer fashion;
• concentrated energy or matter means for forming at least a portion of each layer of said material into an individually contoured lamination in a shape required for assembly of a plurality of said individually contoured laminations in a preselected sequence into said three-dimensional object;
• electronic means for controlling the operation of said lamination forming means to provide said individually contoured laminations for said three-dimensional object in a manner forming a bonded support structure in response to data entered concerning said three-dimensional object;
• means for assembling said plurality of individually contoured laminations formed from said material in said preselected sequence into the form of said three-dimensional object;
• said plurality of individually contoured laminations being assembled such that each of said laminations is integrally bonded to the next adjacent of said individually contoured laminations to complete formation of said integral three-dimensional object;
• and
• means for separating said individually contoured laminations from said bonded support structure, obtaining as a result said three-dimensional object represented by one of said support structure and said individually contoured laminations;
• said lamination forming means including a platform;
• said platform and said assembly means being located at different stations and including means for performing cyclical movement between said platform and said assembling means.

An apparatus for forming an integral three-dimensional object from laminations, comprising:

• means for storing and supplying a material in layer-by-layer fashion;
• concentrated energy or matter means for forming at least a portion of each layer of said material into an individually contoured lamination in a shape required for assembly of a plurality of said individually contoured laminations in a preselected sequence into said three-dimensional object;
• electronic means for controlling the operation of said lamination forming means to provide said individually contoured laminations for said three-dimensional object in a manner forming a bonded support structure in response to data entered concerning said three-dimensional object;
• means for assembling said plurality of individually contoured laminations formed from said material in said preselected sequence into the form of said three-dimensional object;
• said plurality of individually contoured laminations being assembled such that each of said laminations is integrally bonded to the next adjacent of said individually contoured laminations to complete formation of said integral three-dimensional object;
• and
• means for separating said individually contoured laminations from said bonded support structure, obtaining as a result said three-dimensional object represented by one of said support structure and said individually contoured laminations;
• said lamination forming means including a platform located on a vertical linear stage and being surrounded by a vertical support structure so that platform serves as a piston and said vertical support structure serves as a cylinder;
• said vertical linear stage being attached to a carrier, part of which is comprised of said vertical support structure, where said carrier has the ability to move parallel to a surface of said individually contoured laminations.

A method of forming an integral three-dimensional object from laminations, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a platform in proximity to means for forming a material into a plurality of individually contoured laminations and providing a support structure for said laminations;
• providing electronic means for controlling the operation of said lamination forming and support structure providing means;
• entering data representing the geometry of said three-dimensional object into said electronic means and thereafter instructing electronic means to manipulate said lamination forming and support structure providing means in a pre-selected sequence to perform sequential bonding and cutting of said laminations in precise registration to one another and to form a bonded support structure for said laminations, each of said individually contoured laminations representing a cross-section of said three-dimensional object;
• and
• separating said individually contoured laminations from said support structure, obtaining as a result said three-dimensional object represented by one of said support structure and said individually contoured laminations;
• the step of separating said individually contoured laminations to obtain said three-dimensional object from said support structure being accomplished by cutting a parting line in said support structure during operation of said lamination forming means in such a way that said three-dimensional object can be separated along said parting line thereafter.

A method of forming an integral three-dimensional object from laminations, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a platform in proximity to means for forming a material into a plurality of individually contoured laminations and providing a support structure for said laminations;
• providing electronic means for controlling the operation of said lamination forming and support structure providing means;
• entering data representing the geometry of said three-dimensional object into said electronic means and thereafter instructing electronic means to manipulate said lamination forming and support structure providing means in a pre-selected sequence to perform sequential bonding and cutting of said laminations in precise registration to one another and to form a bonded support structure for said laminations, each of said individually contoured laminations representing a cross-section of said three-dimensional object;
• and
• separating said individually contoured laminations from said support structure, obtaining as a result said three-dimensional object represented by one of said support structure and said individually contoured laminations;
• said material comprising said individually contoured laminations being a multimaterial sheet where at least one material comprising said sheet is a primary material serving as a carrier for a secondary material adapted to facilitate bonding of said individually contoured laminations to each other;
• said primary material being at least partially transparent to an ultraviolet or other radiation capable of causing selective bonding or curing of said secondary material within the areas of said lamination to which said radiation is to be delivered, and wherein operation of said lamination forming and support structure providing means includes delivering an ultraviolet or other radiation to cause said selective bonding, and wherein said selective bonding is performed during operation of said lamination forming and support structure providing means by moving said ultraviolet or other radiation within the areas common to said individually contoured lamination and the adjacent individually contoured lamination to which it is integrally bonded, or by printing a mask which leaves said primary material only within the areas which are selected for bonding by said electronic means and then illuminating said individually contoured laminations through said mask, or be selectively depositing or printing said secondary material only within the area of said individually contoured laminations where said integral bonding is required by said electronic means.

A method of forming an integral three-dimensional object from laminations, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a platform in proximity to means for forming a material into a plurality of individually contoured laminations and providing a support structure for said laminations;
• providing electronic means for controlling the operation of said lamination forming and support structure providing means;
• entering data representing the geometry of said three-dimensional object into said electronic means and thereafter instructing electronic means to manipulate said lamination forming and support structure providing means in a pre-selected sequence to perform sequential bonding and cutting of said laminations in precise registration to one another and to form a bonded support structure for said laminations, each of said individually contoured laminations representing a cross-section of said three-dimensional object;
• and
• separating said individually contoured laminations from said support structure, obtaining as a result said three-dimensional object represented by one of said support structure and said individually contoured laminations;
• at least some of said individually contoured laminations being formed after attachment of material comprising said individually contoured laminations to a stack thereof;
• first, each said lamination being bonded to any other of said laminations using one of said selective bonding techniques;
• next, each said lamination being formed by cutting around its contour, preferably to the depth of one lamination, but said material surrounding it being left on said stack to support laminations that follow it, and where said surrounding material undergoes said separating step only after all of the laminations comprising said three-dimensional object have been sequentially bonded and cut;
• said lamination forming means being instructed to cut parting lines in said surrounding material in order to facilitate said separating step for separation of said surrounding material from said three-dimensional object after completing said sequential bonding and cutting of said laminations.