Cooling techniques in solid freeform fabrication
Assignee3D Systems, Inc.
InventorJon Jody Fong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cooling system for removing heat from the layers of a three-dimensional object built in a layerwise manner from a build material in a solid freeform fabrication apparatus. The cooling system provides an air duct that delivers a uniform sheet of air flow over the layers of the three-dimensional object while it is built. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).
Claims14
A method of forming a three-dimensional object in a layerwise manner from a build material, the method comprising:
- providing object layer data;
- forming layers of the three-dimensional object according to the object layer data;
- and
- providing at least one substantially uniform sheet of air flow across the layers of the three-dimensional object to remove heat from the layers of the three-dimensional object, the uniform sheet of air flow being established by directing a flow of air along an air duct, the air duct having a protrusion diverting the air flow away from the air duct and towards the layers of the three-dimensional object.
A method of forming a three-dimensional object in a layerwise manner from a build material, the method comprising:
- providing object layer data;
- forming layers of the three-dimensional object according to the object layer data;
- and
- providing at least two substantially uniform sheets of air flow across the layers or the three-dimensional object wherein the uniform sheets of air flow are established by directing a flow of air along a air duct having an inlet end and exit end, the air duct having a protrusion on the exit end, the protrusion diverting the flow of air away from the air duct and toward the layers of the three-dimensional object.
A method of forming a three-dimensional object in a layerwise manner from a build material, the method comprising:
- providing object layer data;
- forming layers of the three-dimensional object according to the object layer data;
- providing at least one substantially uniform sheet of air flow across the layers of the three-dimensional object to remove heat from the layers of the three-dimensional object, the at least one uniform sheet of air flow being redirected by a curved ducting and at least one protrusion to thicken the width of the uniform sheet of air flow and direct it towards the layers of the three-dimensional object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.