Apparatus and method of removing water-soluble support material from one or more rapid prototype parts

An apparatus for removing water-soluble support material from one or more rapid prototype parts, said apparatus comprising in combination:

• a retention tank having first, second, third, and fourth sidewalls and a base collectively joined together to form an interior chamber for containing and storing an aqueous cleaning solution with said first sidewall having an inlet opening extending therethrough;
• a box manifold having an outer casing externally attached to said first sidewall substantially over said inlet opening and a backing plate selectively configured with said outer casing to form an internal pressure box, said outer casing having an inlet adapter for passing therethrough the aqueous cleaning solution into said internal pressure box, said backing plate being relatively orientated parallel to said first sidewall and having a plurality of nozzle heads mounted thereto to forcefully expel a jet stream of aqueous cleaning solution inward within said interior chamber and substantially toward said second sidewall oppositely positioned and relatively orientated parallel to said first sidewall to predominately establish a pattern of cross agitational flow of aqueous cleaning solution within said interior chamber relatively parallel to said third and fourth sidewalls;
• a drain box having a drain intake in hydraulic communication with said interior chamber and an outlet opening, said drain box being externally mounted to and about the width of said second sidewall oppositely positioned to said box manifold to supplementally develop and sufficiently maintain cross agitational flow within said interior chamber in a non-whirlpool manner;
• a heat chamber having an elongate opening in hydraulic communication with said interior chamber;
• means for conveying the aqueous cleaning solution in and through said drain box and said box manifold;
• a heating element having an external end communicatively coupled to a microprocessor and an internal end housed within said a heat chamber;
• a thermocouple having an internal probe positioned within said interior chamber to engage the aqueous cleaning solution and an external lead communicatively coupled to said microprocessor for measuring temperature of the aqueous cleaning solution;
• and
• a level indicator positioned internally within said interior chamber at a predetermined distance above said base for measuring the level of the aqueous cleaning solution present in said interior chamber, said level indicator being communicatively coupled to said microprocessor via a timer to correspondingly permit activation of said heating element and said conveying means for a predetermined time interval.

An apparatus for removing water-soluble support material from one or more rapid prototype parts, said apparatus comprising in combination:

• a retention tank having first, second, third, and fourth sidewalls and a base collectively joined together to form an interior chamber for containing and storing an aqueous cleaning solution with said first sidewall having an inlet opening extending therethrough;
• a box manifold having an outer casing externally attached to said first sidewall substantially over said inlet opening and a backing plate selectively configured with said outer casing to form an internal pressure box, said outer casing having an inlet adapter for passing therethrough the aqueous cleaning solution into said internal pressure box, said backing plate being relatively orientated parallel to said first sidewall and having a plurality of nozzle heads mounted thereto to forcefully expel a jet stream of aqueous cleaning solution inward within said interior chamber and substantially toward said second sidewall oppositely positioned and relatively orientated parallel to said first sidewall to predominately establish a pattern of cross agitational flow of aqueous cleaning solution within said interior chamber relatively parallel to said third and fourth sidewalls;
• a drain box having a drain intake in hydraulic communication with said interior chamber and an outlet opening, said drain box being externally mounted to and about the width of said second sidewall oppositely positioned to said box manifold to supplementally develop and sufficiently maintain cross agitational flow within said interior chamber in a non-whirlpool manner;
• a heat chamber having an elongate opening in hydraulic communication with said interior chamber;
• means for conveying the aqueous cleaning solution in and through said drain box and said box manifold;
• a heating element having an external end communicatively coupled to a microprocessor and an internal end housed within said a heat chamber;
• a thermocouple having an internal probe positioned within said interior chamber to engage the aqueous cleaning solution and an external lead communicatively coupled to said microprocessor for measuring temperature of the aqueous cleaning solution;
• a level indicator positioned internally within said interior chamber at a predetermined distance above said base for measuring the level of the aqueous cleaning solution present in said interior chamber, said level indicator being communicatively coupled to said microprocessor via a timer to correspondingly permit activation of said heating element and said conveying means for a predetermined time interval;
• a cabinet having an integral work platform, a cover attached to said integral work platform for covering said interior chamber to mitigate evaporative losses therefrom, and a backstop for limiting and holding said cover at a predetermined angular position above said interior chamber;
• and
• a drop basket geometrically configured to fit within the confines of said interior chamber and controllably retain rapid prototype parts therewithin while being place in an immersible environment of aqueous cleaning solution and susceptible to direct cross agitational flow originating from the directional orientation of said nozzle heads, said drop basket having perforated walls and bottom and a downwardly orientated lip bracket attached to a backside thereof to slidably accept and engage with an upwardly orientated lip bracket integrally included as part of said cover, said cover further comprising a pair of sliding brackets each having a movable slide bar to engage an opening extending through an end wall of said backstop to lock said cover to said backstop in a substantial vertical orientation insofar to inattentively support said drop basket for furthering temporal release of aqueous cleaning solution from said drop basket downwardly into said interior chamber and making periodic inspection of rapid prototype parts held therewithin for processing.