CN101626881B - Imager assembly and method for solid imaging - Google Patents
Imager assembly and method for solid imaging Download PDFInfo
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- CN101626881B CN101626881B CN2007800520324A CN200780052032A CN101626881B CN 101626881 B CN101626881 B CN 101626881B CN 2007800520324 A CN2007800520324 A CN 2007800520324A CN 200780052032 A CN200780052032 A CN 200780052032A CN 101626881 B CN101626881 B CN 101626881B
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Abstract
Solid imaging apparatus and methods for use are disclosed that reduce the amount of uncured solid imaging build material remaining on a completed build object following the completion of the solid imaging build process. The amount of uncured build material is reduced through the use of either an uncoating web that removes excess build material from the build object during the course of the building process or an ink jet source of build material that uses only as much build material as is necessary for the fabrication of the build part. Also disclosed is an imager assembly for use with such a solid imaging apparatus that incorporates two or more individual imagers in an array and accounts for variations in the intensity and alignment of adjacent imagers. The apparatus can be modified for semi-continuous operation and for integrating into a manufacturing operation, if desired.
Description
Cross reference to related application
The application requires the priority of following application: the title of submitting on April 1st, 2005 is the non-provisional application sequence number 11/096,748 of " Edge Smoothness with Low Resolution Projected Images for Usein Solid Imaging "; The title of submitting on May 3rd, 2005 is the non-provisional application sequence number 11/121,348 of " Bubble-free Cross-sections for Use in SolidImaging "; The title of submitting on March 15th, 2006 is the non-provisional application sequence number 11/375,917 of " Bubble-free Cross-sections for Use in Solid Imaging "; The title of submitting on August 29th, 2006 is the non-provisional patent application serial numbers 11/468,090 of " Improved Wall Smoothness "; The title of submitting on January 17th, 2007 is the provisional application sequence number 60/885,254 of " Coat and Un-coat Flex TransportSystem "; The title of submitting on January 17th, 2007 is " Solid Imaging Apparatus and Method Including:Cartridgefor Solid Imaging Apparatus; Method for Conveying Build MaterialLayer-By-Layer; Elevator for Tilting Solid Image Build Platform forReducing Air Entrainment and for Consistent Repeatable Alignmentin a Solid Imaging Apparatus " provisional application sequence number 60/885,257; The title of submitting on July 13rd, 2007 is " Solid Imaging Apparatus and MethodIncluding:Cartridge for Solid Imaging Apparatus; Method forConveying Build Material Layer-By-Layer; Elevator for Tilting SolidImage Build Platform for Reducing Air Entrainment and for BuildRelease; Build Platform, Solid Image, and Method for Solid Imaging; Imager and Method for Consistent Repeatable Alignment in a SolidImaging Apparatus; Eccentric Reciprocating Brush and Method forReducing Overbuild " provisional patent application serial numbers 60/949,614; The title that provides on August 15th, 2007 is " Solid Imaging Apparatus and Method Including:Cartridge for Solid Imaging Apparatus; Method forConveying Build Material Layer-By-Layer; Elevator for Tilting SolidImage Build Platform for Reducing Air Entrainment and for BuildRelease; Build Platform, Solid Image, and Method for Solid Imaging; Imager and Method for Consistent Repeatable Alignment in a SolidImaging Apparatus; And Intra-Layer Cleaning Assembly and Methodfor Removing Excess Uncured Build Material " temporary patent application sequence number 60/956,051; Reaching the title of submitting on August 15th, 2007 is the provisional patent application serial number 60/956,118 of " Solid ImagingSystem ", and the full content of all these applications all is hereby incorporated by.
Technical field
Present invention relates in general to the solid state image field, also relate to through the photopolymer construction material of radiation-hardenable and in layer pile up the apparatus and method of creating the threedimensional solid object.
Background technology
Solid-state imaging utilizes fusible powder or optical solidified liquid generally to make three dimensional object through being exposed to radiation.The powder and the liquid that are used for solid state image sometimes are called " construction material ", and the three dimensional object that is produced by solid-state imaging sometimes is called " fabrication ", " parts " and " solid state image product ", and it can comprise multiple shape.Solid state image comprises many apparatus and method fors of creating three dimensional object, comprises through optical three-dimensional molded object, laser sintered, inkjet printing and similar method the general formation method that adopts in layer of these methods.Laser or other radiation source sequentially shine each thin layer of construction material, and as response, material in layer becomes solid, thereby produce the solid state image product.Nearest development comprises can utilize that visible irradiation has the flexibility of the construction material of response to transport (flexible transport) solid-state imaging and method to these wavelength with ultraviolet light source.
Although developed many apparatus and method fors, still also have many defectives to need to solve for solid state image.In general, solid-state imaging is produced product in batches, rather than continuously or semi-continuously.Solid-state imaging produces " uncompleted " three-dimensional objects, and wherein uncured construction material drenches the surface and make product that some is sticking, thereby need clean through before the complete cured article of fabrication.
Another shortcoming of many solid-state imagings is the restriction about the object size that can build.For using laser to carry out the machine that construction material transforms as radiation source, because to the speed restriction of laser scanning cross section, it is directly relevant with the size of object therefore to build the required time of object.Laser scanner can have higher resolution capabilities and have the large-area large scale laser spots of the single pass of being used for; Completion has than the border of point and details, but sweep speed still Billy handle significantly slow that (" DLP ") imager can realize with digital light.
The DLP imager adopts lens array, and wherein the Selective Control of each independent mirror between " opening " and off-position produces desired image at the photocuring construction material of new one deck.Each independent mirror is all related with a pixel, and pixel is the least member that is used for the image that the display system of two dimensional image can individual processing.DLP and high-resolution laser scanner have suitable minimum feature size.Because each mirror can be controlled to a zone of Polaroid fabrication simultaneously in the DLP array; The whole layer that comprises fabrication; Rather than,, image taking speed has been improved with DLP so compare with laser scanner through using scanner to utilize the laser spots tracking image.
There is restriction in the system that utilizes the DLP imager to produce big object.For big object, the DLP imager spreads to big zone with available emittance, the resolution ratio that this has increased the time for exposure and has reduced image.Universal imaging device with the 1024x768 pixel mirror array area (area of 22.9x17.14cm) of 9x6.75 inch that can within about 5 seconds, make public, and produce the details that is similar to laser scanner.Image area is increased to 18x13.5 inch (45.7x34.3cm) can will be increased to about 20 seconds the time for exposure and reduce the twice details.
Through replace having the DLP of 1024x768 pel array with the more high-resolution DLP with 1400x1024 pel array, picture size can increase by 37% under the situation of identical minimum feature size.That is to say,, compare, can produce identical details at 12.2x9 inch form (31.0x22.9cm form) with big array with the 9x6.75 inch form (22.9x17.14cm form) that produces with little array for identical object.But, high-resolution DLP imager can not solve the problem that increases the time for exposure and reduce details for bigger object.Bigger array has reduced 45% with image intensity, and will the time for exposure be increased to 9.1 seconds from 5 seconds, and this is significant in building course.
Within restriction, should use more high-intensity light source to solve some problems, but big again imager and high-intensity again light source possibly be problematic in the solid-state imaging for being used in bigger array.Expectation improves the efficient of solid-state imaging and method, also expects to produce three dimensional object with more changeableization with still less retraining.
Summary of the invention
The present invention relates to provide the solid-state imaging device and the method for three dimensional object with high efficiency more.In some embodiment, the invention provides after building completion, or, need the fabrication of less processing at its unfinished state or after solidifying fully.In selected embodiment; The present invention includes; If expectation, under inviscid or approximate inviscid condition in batch or with semicontinuous mode producing fabrication, fully solidify fabrication and with obtainable identical or better characteristic details at present and more large scale produce one or more additional capabilities of fabrication.Apparatus and method of the present invention can be incorporated into downstream and make in the processing.
Device of the present invention provides the radiation source that is used for solid state image; Away from one or more sources of the solid state image construction material of the plane of delineation that limits, and in layer construction material is sent at least one reciprocal transportation surface of the plane of delineation from one or more construction materials source.Construction material generally is the material that can flow, and can easily be transferred to transportation surface.Radiation source makes the construction material layer in plane of delineation hardening.Radiation source emission construction material generally is visible and ultraviolet to the light on its wavelength length scope that responds.
The plane of delineation has been limit justice and has been used to make construction material in layer to transform in the space, to form the surface of solid state image product.Be used for surface and the radiation source and at least one transportation surface cooperation of solid retained imaging product, create the plane of delineation.Radiation source in layer is converted into construction material the solid that is built on the retention surface.
One aspect of the present invention provides a kind of method that two or more imagers in the imager assembly are provided; Be used to use solid state image construction material to make three dimensional object with curing threshold energy; This method comprises: a. is along at least one edge aligned image-region of the image-region of imager, and wherein said image-region comprises the array of pixel; B. produce the seam that overlaps and limited the pixel of two or more image-regions; C. confirm the pixel overlapping amount of seam; And d. comprises that through adjustment in (i) time for exposure of the pixel that pixel overlaps and the (ii) light intensity level at least one come boundary position of correction pixels overlapping.
In first kind of more specific embodiment, in the image of building layer and before image being converted into the lip-deep cured layer of fabrication, the construction material source is applied to reciprocal transportation surface with one deck construction material.In this embodiment, after the image irradiation, there is not uncured construction material to be retained on fabrication surface or the transportation surface basically.Because the source of construction material generally is an ink jet-print head, produce image, therefore uncured construction material need not be removed usually.The a plurality of reciprocal transportation surfaces and the source of construction material provide the high-performance solid imaging from the fabrication of multiple construction material.In general, at least two reciprocal transportation surfaces will use about a plane of delineation serial that is positioned at central authorities, so that build the construction material image that the deposit one by one of each transportation surface is solidified subsequently faster.
In second kind of more specific embodiment, the source of construction material provides the construction material layer at least one reciprocal transportation surface, and radiation source solidifies in this layer the part corresponding to desired image.For example, gravure roll can be picked up one deck construction material and contacted transportation surface from holder, so that layer of material is applied to transportation surface.In response to controller, on the radiation source irradiates transportation surface in the construction material layer corresponding to the part of desired image.Uncured construction material can be attached on the fabrication and can provide other transportation surface that the uncured construction material that still keeps after this construction material of imaging on the plane of delineation is transported from the plane of delineation.
Therefore, additional embodiment comprises more than a transportation surface, is used to transport construction material and perhaps transports from it to fabrication, also comprises a plurality of construction materials source.These transportation surfaces move as a unit serial with respect to the maintenance of radiation source and fabrication surface, and each all with respect to moving of unit and back and forth, to reduce relatively moving between fabrication surface and the transportation surface.The radiation source that cooperation is crossed in the additional transportation surface group location that can walk abreast, parallel group moves with the traffic direction that keeps surperficial mating surface successively.According to expectation, each in these transportation surfaces is all handled easily or can be reused.
The reciprocal transportation surface that is used for construction material is transported to the plane of delineation generally comprises to conveniently picking up, transport and construction material being sent to the flexible polymeric film that the image platform is prepared.In one embodiment, this transportation surface is configured to around driving mechanism reciprocal, and the two ends on surface are connected by hawser, each edge adjacent positioned on hawser and surface, thereby emission that can interference emission.
Be used for the transportation surface that construction material is transported from the plane of delineation is generally comprised stripper surface.In one embodiment, this stripper surface comprises the brush of complex form operation in the past, so that contact fabrication and remove unnecessary uncured construction material.In another embodiment, this stripper surface is can be by back and forth or the endless belt of rotation formal operations, if the direction of operation and speed controlling become to reduce or get rid of basically between fabrication surface and the transportation surface relatively move just passable.As substitute mode, if expectation, this transportation surface can be similar to and construction material is sent to plane of delineation that kind is configured.The absorbing material that is used for transportation surface comprises that web or other absorb fiber, comprises that paper perhaps is suitable for easily picking up from the fabrication surface the non-layer of woven thermoplastic polymer of uncured construction material.If necessary, the transportation surface that is used to the to remove construction material surface of fabrication of can repeatedly swiping is to remove enough uncured construction materials.The uncured construction material of removing from fabrication can reclaim from transportation surface, reuses or disposes according to expectation.If expectation, transportation surface and uncured construction material can be processed together, and the replacement transportation surface.
When imager provided radiation source, through a plurality of imagers that aligning is used for forming images simultaneously, picture size can increase.Through regulating reducing the difference of imager between the boundary of the image that is projected by each imager, thereby a plurality of imagers of aligning make the size of the plane of delineation enlarge the size that has surpassed single imager.By this way, the various piece of combination zone is formed images as an image simultaneously through making it possible to, and do not need the mobile imaging device, imaging system has increased the size of fabrication.
On the plane of delineation, the make public part in fabrication zone of each imager is to create the entire image zone.Through according to the step of exposing of the imager that produces image section with entire image zone segmentation and control joint place, each imager produces unified entire image zone, and wherein image section joins to together to mix the pixel of seam crossing at seam crossing.Compare with single imager, this method produces the entire image zone, and need not increase minimum feature size, also need not reduce radiosity.
More specifically consider to mix the pixel of seam crossing; In order to create the big object that has the expectation minimum feature size and need not to reduce radiosity, need accurately to aim at two or more imagers at least along the edge of jointed each image-region between image-region.Through overlap image-region and adjust the multiplication factor of each imager on a small quantity along the edge, allow to confirm the pixel mixed characteristic of seam crossing at next step so that the pixel of seam crossing is lined up.The amount that the pixel of seam crossing overlaps confirms will reduce how many pixel intensity at seam crossing.The gray level of adjustment seam crossing pixel allows the correction of the boundary position of seam crossing intersection pixel.If expectation, boundary position can also be proofreaied and correct through the time for exposure of adjustment boundary pixel.Therefore, device of the present invention allows to produce three dimensional object through the solid state image process, and wherein product has big cross section, and does not need required expense of previous equipment or time.
In additional embodiment, apparatus and method of the present invention can comprise that additional transportation surface or construction material source or the two have concurrently, so that from multiple construction material fabrication is provided.Support can comprise that the transportation surface that is coated with from the construction material of homology not is right, and wherein different construction materials is used for single fabrication.The transportation surface that is used to remove uncured construction material can be placed as required, so that remove uncured material from the fabrication surface.One group of assembly of parallel support can sequentially be applied to the plane of delineation with construction material, and each assembly all has at least one reciprocal transportation surface, generally is two or more.Control applies order makes backing material can be different from fabrication or fabrication can to comprise layer or layer segment from heterogeneity that this sometimes needs for composite structure, comprises biomedical structure.
Semicontinuous embodiment provides the ring shift surface; Generally be mounted to vertical with the direction of transportation surface operation; So that the continuous fabrication platform that keeps fixing is provided when processing fabrication, displacement then is to be provided for the newly-built divine force that created the universe platform surface of next fabrication.If expectation, this embodiment can be provided for a plurality of fabrications are transported to the surface at the station outside the solid-state imaging, carries out downstream, comprises solidifying this fabrication fully.Other semicontinuous embodiment also provides and has been used to remove and replaces discontinuous single fabrication platform, picks up and put down system with automation solid state image production process.
Method of the present invention provides the newly-built material of one deck is applied to reciprocal transportation surface, will new layer be transported to the plane of delineation so that fabrication is contacted with newly-built material layer and shine the fabrication surface to solidify the step of this layer.In a kind of specific embodiment, the step that newly-built material layer is applied to reciprocal transportation surface comprises this layer is imaged onto on the transportation surface.In not comprising the another kind of embodiment of this characteristic, the step on irradiation fabrication surface is included in the step of imaging fabrication on the plane of delineation.These embodiments can also be included in down the newly-built material of one deck and be applied to before the fabrication, from the fabrication after the imaging, remove the step of the uncured construction material of residue (if any).Contact with fabrication to the different transportation surface of the reciprocal transportation surface of the plane of delineation with the newly-built material layer of transportation, also uncured material is transported from the plane of delineation so that remove uncured construction material.
Therefore, the invention provides flexibility and transport solid-state imaging, this equipment have serial be installed on the reciprocal support reciprocal transportation surface and more than a construction material source.The present invention also provides the accurate aligning of a plurality of imagers, to enlarge the fabrication size and not lose characteristic or increase the time for exposure.The invention provides the noncohesive relatively fabrication of very many sizes, and have the fabrication post processing demand of minimizing.Through combining the continuous fabrication platform of displacement or remove automatically and replace discontinuous fabrication plane with picking up and put down system, the present invention goes for semicontinuous operation.Comprise the support in a plurality of transportation surfaces and construction material source through use, the present invention goes for preparing the fabrication with multiple material.The invention provides and use multiple construction material to prepare semi-continuous flexible transportation solid-state imaging bigger, inviscid, completely crued solid-state image.
Consider the following specifically describes through connection with figures, the mode of above and other advantage of the present invention and characteristic and realization thereof will be more easily obviously, wherein description of drawings preferred illustrative embodiments.
Description of drawings
Figure 1A is the schematic fore-and-aft plane figure of a kind of embodiment of apparatus of the present invention in the coating (coat) of device operation and imaging phase process, and reciprocal transportation surface that is used to apply and the rotation transportation surface that is used to peel off (uncoating) have been described;
Figure 1B is Figure 1A shown device guide wire of alternative shape;
Fig. 1 C is the replacement embodiment of Figure 1B shown device amplifier section;
Fig. 1 D is the schematic plan view of Figure 1A embodiment replacement configuration;
Fig. 1 E is Fig. 1 D shown device guide wire of alternative shape;
Fig. 1 F is, and is similar with Figure 1A, and the schematic fore-and-aft plane figure of another embodiment of the present invention in the coating of device operation and imaging phase process replaces the rotation transportation surface that is used to peel off, and reciprocal transportation surface has been described;
Fig. 1 G is the schematic fore-and-aft plane figure that passes through to remove from fabrication the stage that unnecessary uncured construction material peels off that Fig. 1 F device is shown;
Fig. 1 H is Fig. 1 G shown device guide wire of alternative shape;
Fig. 1 I is the perspective view of the reciprocal transportation surface that shown in Figure 1A, 1F, 1G and 1H, is used to apply;
Fig. 1 J is the flow chart of step that an embodiment of the inventive method related with the device of Figure 1A and 1F is shown;
Fig. 2 illustrates a kind of Fig. 1 F of embodiment and the fore-and-aft plane figure of 1G device embodiments of revising that is used for semicontinuous operation;
Fig. 2 A is the transverse plane figure of the modification of Fig. 2;
Fig. 2 B is the flow chart that semicontinuous operation embodiment step is shown;
Fig. 3 is the fore-and-aft plane figure that the replacement embodiment that is used for semicontinuous operation of Fig. 1 F and 1G device embodiments is shown;
Fig. 3 A is the flow chart that the semicontinuous operation embodiment step related with Fig. 3 device is shown;
Fig. 4 is the fore-and-aft plane figure of another kind of embodiment that is similar to apparatus of the present invention with two reciprocal transportation surfaces of Fig. 1 D, two reciprocal transportation surfaces wherein and the serial location, intermediate transportation surface that is used to remove uncured construction material;
Fig. 5 is the fore-and-aft plane figure of another kind of embodiment that is similar to apparatus of the present invention of Fig. 4, wherein is used for the supply on intermediate transportation surface and lifts the outside that is usually located at illustrated device;
Fig. 6 is the fore-and-aft plane figure of the another kind of embodiment of apparatus of the present invention, this device have single reciprocal transportation surface and integrated being used to remove uncured construction material second transportation surface supply and lift roller;
Fig. 7 is the top view of another kind of embodiment of device that is similar to Fig. 4 and has the reciprocal support of a plurality of parallel work-flows;
Fig. 8 is the top view of imager;
Fig. 9 is the fore-and-aft plane figure of imager;
Figure 10 is the back side plane figure of imager;
Figure 11 is the back side plane figure of four imagers in the imager array of the present invention;
Figure 12 is the pixel subset according to the boundary of two imager projected areas of the present invention, and two imagers are wherein aimed at;
Figure 13 is the pixel subset according to the boundary of two imager projected areas of the present invention, wherein two imagers, 1/2 pixel that overlapped;
Figure 14 is the 5 pixel x5 pattern of pixels that are used for the characterization imager according to the present invention at the image seam crossing;
Figure 15 A is the pixel sketch map from the imager of two alignings (imager A and imager B); The image-region of being created by imager has been described in the profile of black; The application of gray level is the image-region border that overlaps of positioning and imaging device A and imager B correctly; Reach the displacement of image boundary between the imager, wherein identical gray level is provided for each imager, and imager B is provided with the upward displacement image with the gray level identical with being used for imager A;
Figure 15 B is the sketch map that is similar to Figure 1A, but the independent characteristic of imager has been described and has been used for the independent adjustment that the gray level of each imager is provided with, and this is adjusted under the situation of shift map picture not and correctly locatees the border;
Figure 15 C is the schematic illustration of prior art, does not wherein use gray level, pixel or open fully, or close fully, and the image boundary at imager overlapping place is upwards with to shifting left;
Figure 16 A is the flow chart of the step of the explanation method that is used to aim at imager;
Figure 16 B is the flow chart of the step of explanation the inventive method of being used to utilize imager array image-forming fabrication;
Figure 17 A, 17B and 17C are the sequential schematic of the image shift of the explanation seam that is used for sewing up a plurality of imagers of array; Wherein single image has intactly shone 6 pixels in Figure 17 A; And image identical in Figure 17 B is in Y direction skew irradiation; Cause synthesizing among Figure 17 C, the pixel of the image layers that wherein increases progressively is in subpixel area bias internal 1/2 pixel;
Figure 18 A and 18B are that image that Far Left applies conveyer belt applies stage and rightmost and applies the another kind of embodiment of apparatus of the present invention schematic fore-and-aft plane figure in proper order in general exposure (flood exposure) phase process of conveyer belt;
Figure 18 C and 18D are similar to Figure 18 A and 18B but have the schematic fore-and-aft plane figure of appended drawings as the embodiment of the present invention order of transportation surface;
Figure 18 E be explanation with Figure 18 A to 18D in the flow chart of the related method step of illustrated embodiment;
Figure 19 A and 19B are the schematic fore-and-aft plane figure that order is explained embodiment of the present invention, and this embodiment has made up the characteristic of the embodiment of Fig. 1 F and 1G and Figure 18 A and 18B;
Figure 20 A and 20B are the schematic fore-and-aft plane figure that order is explained embodiment of the present invention, and this embodiment has made up the characteristic of the embodiment of Fig. 1 F and 1G and Fig. 6.
Run through institute's drawings attached, the corresponding corresponding part of label indication.
The specific embodiment
With reference to illustrated in the accompanying drawings specific implementations and following described variation, the present invention can understand best.Although the present invention will describe as follows, will be appreciated that the present invention will be confined to illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiment.On the contrary, the present invention includes all replacements, modification and the equivalent that can be included in the purport of the present invention that is defined by the following claims and the scope.
Figure 1A shows flexibility of the present invention generally 21 and transports coating and the schematic fore-and-aft plane figure in imaging stage of a kind of embodiment of solid-state imaging in its operation.Figure 1B has explained the characteristic that Figure 1A details is amplified.Radiation source 22 provides the solid state image radiation 24 of focusing, and this radiation projects on the wet surface 26 of construction material of fabrication 28, so that in the plane of delineation, solidify the selected portions of newly-built material layer.The three dimensional object 28 that fabrication is increment type, in layer build.The plane of delineation is the increase layer of newly-built material and the crossing point that is limited of solid state image radiation in the space.When fabrication surface 26 from radiation source have correct apart from the time, fabrication surface 26 is located on the plane of delineation so.
After drench on the surface of fabrication; And before imaging; Liftable is installed to optional image flat support plate 42 on the driving shaft 43 and can be used for transportation surface is advanced, and to contact with the fabrication surface, makes new uncured construction material layer smooth and be sent to equably on the fabrication surface.Plane of delineation gripper shoe and relevant parts are explained in the zoomed-in view of Figure 1B.As illustrated, plate 42 has a conveyer belt thickness so far away at the plane of delineation that is positioned at from wet fabrication surface with that relative side of wet fabrication surface of conveyer belt.Relative with the surface 39 that conveyer belt drenches; Plane of delineation gripper shoe 42 is installed to the support 35 that applies under conveyer belt 36 tops with driver of elevator 43, is used for after conveyer belt moves to the fabrication position, accurately being provided with the thickness of construction material on fabrication surface 26.The enough solid state image radiation of plate 42 emissions are so that change into solid with construction material.In general, plane of delineation gripper shoe will be processed by transparent glass or suitable transmissible plastics.After construction material exposes and before conveyer belt is transported from fabrication, plate 42 is drawn back from conveyer belt.Will be appreciated that through keeping tension force enough in the conveyer belt, so that equably construction material is remained to the surface of fabrication, device can be operated under the situation that lacks plate 42 and driver 43.
Figure 1A has also explained the stripper surface that is used for removing from the fabrication surface unnecessary uncured construction material, and this stripper surface among Figure 1A is an equipment 45.In one embodiment, equipment 45 can be installed on the support 35, be used for the brush that moves back and forth with transportation surface.When support is removed transportation surface left below fabrication; Deposit on the surface 26 of fabrication 28 and after the surface is exposed to image-forming radiation 24 at one deck construction material; Lift is elevated to fabrication the correct height that brush is removed; And support is sent to the fabrication surface with brush 45, contacts with the fabrication surface, perhaps removes unnecessary uncured construction material prejudicially or rotatably.A kind of suitable brush comprises that commercial available being used to applies the synthetic mohair yarn roller of the type of adhesive or coating.Contact with fabrication at brush; So that peel off after the fabrication through removing unnecessary uncured construction material; Support back and forth and lift descend be placed to fabrication and contact so that will apply the transportation surface 36 of construction material 39, so that apply another layer construction material and continue construction.Then, need clean this brush, for example through in the protectiveness shell with from about 3,000 to 6,000 or the two-forty rotary brush of higher rpm.5, the rotary speed of 000rpm is considered to useful.The suitable shell and the operation thereof that are used for linear and rotating stripping brush are the U.S. Patent Application Serial Number of owning together 11/856 that on September 17th, 2007 submitted to; 270 and the U.S. Provisional Patent Application sequence number 60/949 submitted on July 13rd, 2007; 614 reach in 60/956 of submission on August 15th, 2007; Describe in 051 the various embodiments; Wherein the title of sequence number 11/856,270 is " Brush Assembly forRemoval of Excess Uncured Build Material ", and the application requires the preferential full content of these applications for the time being of these applications to be hereby incorporated by.
There is Several Factors to influence the operation of brush.Select brush linear or rotation; Brush all should be brushed and draw the fabrication surface enough repeatedly; So that remove enough unnecessary uncured construction materials, and should the construction material on the brush be disposed, can not pollute support thereby can material not deposited on the fabrication surface and not once more.Expectation provides brush to draw as far as possible apace, comes to remove material from fabrication, and can not advance material from brush simultaneously and before independently removing step.The speed that brush is drawn is rule of thumb to confirm.The power that material remains on the brush is proportional with the surface energy that comprises the material on the fiber of brush.For high more surface energy, it is generally higher than the low-surface-energy that brush is drawn speed.
For rotary brush, the centrifugal force on the resin also is the function of angular speed and brush diameter, and angular speed unit wherein is rpm.For diameter is 1.25 inches nylon mane bruss and said construction material; Proved that 360rpm is the suitable rotary speed that is used to remove: to such an extent as to can not avoid too soon advancing material from brush, to such an extent as to can not remove efficiently too slowly yet.
The repeatedly cleaning that brush is striden fabrication surface on the left side and the right both direction is typical.Through contact fabrication surface, rotary brush moves the direction that rotates freely against it.
Although faster rate can be improved circulation timei usually, and slower speed provides more removing, brush assembly strides that stretch out on the fabrication surface and the speed of returning can change in particular bound.The appropriate combination of cleaning and speed is in about 1 to 5 cleaning of about 1 to the 9 inch speed of per second.
Penetrating of brush, the amount of promptly disturbing between mane tip and the fabrication surface also works to remove unnecessary uncured construction material from the fabrication surface.High-penetration is more effective, but too many words can be damaged exquisite fabrication surface.Illustrated embodiment is expected about 0.080 inch penetrating.
Should be pointed out that the stage that parameter discussed above depends on construction can change slightly.For example, when building support member (support), clean side (vertical) wall is not too important, and then brush can apply more slowly, so that pick up a large amount of uncured material from horizontal surface.Rotary brush can be by rotating freely identical direction and identical speed rotation with it.
In order to remove the construction material on the brush, brush is removed and is cleaned from the mode that its construction material of removing influences fabrication preventing from the plane of delineation.For example, in the U. S. application sequence number of being mentioned hereinbefore 11/856,270, brush is included in the guard shield.In one embodiment, brush is rotated, so that advance construction material from brush; Brush rotates to such an extent that The faster the better.Material remove square raising of speed with rpm.The brush that the 3000rpm cleaning is 1.5 inches, 5000rpm be cleansing phase brush together quickly.More little brush generally will need high slightly rpm, and suppose that mechanical rotary device is enough, then can provide to be higher than 6 the speed of 000rpm.If there is a large amount of excess stocks to remove from brush, then brush will clean between cleaning.If have only a spot of material, then cleaning can be accomplished in a cleaning cycle and brush is cleaned in the exposure generation of UV lamp.
If expectation, the device of Fig. 1 can be included in the outer cover 49.The inside of outer cover can be heated, and this operation and performance for device is useful.Through reducing the viscosity of construction material, heating can increase the scope of construction material useful in the present invention's practice, transports reluctant or needs interpolation diluent otherwise the viscosity of construction material possibly be flexibility.Diluent possibly jeopardize the quality of the product of being processed by construction material, for example because the brittleness that increases or the mechanical strength of reduction.Heating allows to use the parent material of HMW more and the viscosity of some construction material is reduced to less than about 1,000 centipoise, and in some cases, is reduced to about 600 centipoises.Construction material is heated similar 10 degrees centigrade generally can obtain some benefits.In general, about 90 degrees centigrade temperature is proved to be useful.
Will be appreciated that; It all is that controlled device is controlled automatically that the system of Figure 1A reaches at these all illustrated embodiments; The not explanation of its middle controller; It normally responds pre-programmed data and the computer operated, solidifies and other characteristic so that operation comprises device, coating and exposure operation, imaging, the imaging back of lift.
Fig. 1 C has explained the replacement embodiment of the amplifier section of Figure 1A device, and one or more UV source 61 of wherein adopting intensity to be approximately 100 watts provides the still curing of the fabrication on platform with reflector 63.Curing radiation can be applied to interior layer; It is the layer between the layer after removing unnecessary uncured construction material; Or contingency ground as required, or ground between each layer as required from all four sides or as required is applied to interior layer from two or three sides.Will be appreciated that, for example can launch the imager 22 of visible light and also can launch UV light, so imager also can be as the radiation source that solidifies fabrication.
As illustrated, driver of elevator 34 ' and 34 " be positioned to avoid to stop curing radiation to the emission of fabrication and to the support of the fabrication of fabrication pad 30 adjacent positioned.If radiation source is to be used for seeing through fabrication pad irradiation fabrication, then the fabrication pad need be processed and be configured to be retained in the lift support that is installed on the driver of elevator by suitable transmission material, transmission that basically can interference emission.Suitable radiation transparent fabrication pad and lift bracket component are described in the unsettled U.S. Provisional Patent Application sequence number of owning together 60/885,257, and this application was submitted to and is merged among this paper on January 17th, 2007.
Will be appreciated that, through utilizing the high intensity UV source in the imager position 22, the penetrating curing and can realize in described here the present invention's practice of fabrication.Thisly penetrate curing and will be similar to and be the U.S. Provisional Patent Application sequence number 60/956 submitted on August 15th, 2007; Described in 051; The application requires the priority of this application; And its content combines hereinbefore, wherein penetrates the degree of depth that fabrication is passed in the radiation that provides enough in the curing this, to allow the adjacent fabrication far-end of radiation absorption and curing and fabrication pad 30 in the fabrication layer.Mirror assembly can be used to send images to image support plate 42 and this mirror assembly can be operated in complex way, so that cleaning is provided for the high strength curing radiation.The UV lamp that an example of high-intensity source is about 600W.Radiation can apply about 80 milliwatts about 10 seconds with every square centimeter to each layer.Approximately the radiation of this intensity should have been eliminated supplemental irradiation has been carried out to realize the demand of dry complete reaction part in other surfaces of fabrication.
Figure 1A and 1B have explained the fabrication that keeps with reversed position, and this helps when fabrication also is positioned on the lift, allowing unnecessary uncured construction material owing to lower surface and removing with layer UV of convenient unnecessary amount that gravity moves to fabrication are solidified.Fig. 1 D and 1E have explained optional layout, and wherein fabrication 328 is held with the erection position on vertical elevator landing 332 and driver of elevator 334 with fabrication pad 330.Reciprocal transportation surface 336 is installed with triangular arrangement around roller 340, and at least one roller is driven.Transportation surface 336 applies device 338 from holder 337 with the intaglio printing rolling and picks up construction material and be used to be transported to fabrication.Transportation surface 336 shown in Fig. 1 D left-hand side comprises two parts; Apply part 353 and continuous part 351; Shown in right-hand side among Fig. 1 D, continuous part 351 can be for example to be used to mesh the zigzag flexible conveyer belt that drives the roller 340 that applies part in complex way.
Fig. 1 E has also explained the coating part 353 of transportation surface and contacting of fabrication 328; And explained that the roller 340 in the transportation surface forward position promotes transportation surface so that contact with the fabrication surface; No matter back and forth transportation surface is the configuration of Figure 1A or 1D; Still other hereinafter illustrated embodiment, situation all are like this.Although not necessarily have the result of equivalence, any one or two wheels 340 can be driven or used other mechanism.First roller 340 that runs into fabrication platform and fabrication surface is rigidity normally, so that the thickness of construction material to be set.Although reciprocal support is not described, will be appreciated that the support that is similar to Figure 1A will be used in combination with Fig. 1 D, and under the situation of the lift counter-rotating that makes Fig. 1 D, the transportation configuration of Fig. 1 D just can be used in the embodiment of Figure 1A in Fig. 1 D and 1E.The reciprocal support 35 (Fig. 1) that moves right and as having reduced relatively moving and reduced on the fabrication surface possibility of air entrapment in the new layer between fabrication surface and the conveyer belt to the combination of the reciprocating conveyor of anticlockwise among Figure 1A and the 1D.
Figure 1A to 1E with run through in the accompanying drawing other local illustrated coating conveyer belt and normally be used for the back and forth film that sufficient intensity is arranged of operation, and be provided for the surface of easily picking up construction material and being used for construction material is discharged into the fabrication on the elevator landing.As a rule, knownly be suitable for the non-resilient conveyer belt that flexibility transports solid state image and be suitable for as the coating conveyer belt in the present invention's practice.Conveyer belt is normally by one or more polymer construction materials, for example polypropylene, Merlon, PEP and mixing thereof and copolymer, the film of composition.The PTFE film that comprises Teflon board film is useful, partly is because they are discharged into the fabrication surface with construction material well.Regardless of employed material, conveyer belt all should be enough transparent, can carry out the solid state image radiation when being placed between radiation source and the construction material with convenient conveyer belt.
Construction material normally is used for the flowed construction material of solid state image, and this construction material responds to radiation source and can be picked up flexibility and transports on the film and by this film and be sent to the fabrication on the plane of delineation.A variety of all well-known in these construction materials because of optical three-dimensional molded object.If radiation source is Digital Light Processor or " DLP " source, then construction material generally solidifies with ultraviolet in response to visible, and construction material will comprise the initator to these light sources.Being used for the construction material that flexibility transports imaging should solidify when being exposed to radiation easily, should adhere to fabrication well, and discharge from transportation surface (no matter being coated surfaces or stripper surface) easily.Suitable construction material is that on April 1st, 2005 submitted to and title is the U.S. Patent Application Serial Number 11/096 of " Radiation Curable Compositions Useful in Image ProjectionSystems "; Describe in 739, the full content of this application is hereby incorporated by.This construction material generally comprises and gathers (methyl) acrylate compounds, polyurethane and gather that (methyl) acrylate compounds, polyester gather (methyl) acrylate compounds, silicon gathers (methyl) acrylate compounds and is used for polymerization initiator visible and UV light.
Fig. 1 F and 1G have explained the substitute mode to Figure 1A to 1E embodiment; It comprises the second reciprocal transportation surface 56; This second reciprocal transportation surface 56 can be a that kind as shown in the figure; The triangular arrangement that perhaps has Fig. 1 D is so that remove unnecessary uncured construction material from fabrication surface 26 after irradiation.Will be appreciated that the replacement peel-off device that this second transportation surface is a rotary brush shown in Figure 1A 45.It should also be appreciated that first and second transportation surfaces are different surface, first transportation surface is transported to the fabrication surface on the plane of delineation with construction material, and second transportation surface is removed unnecessary uncured construction material from the plane of delineation.
Farthest right position in Fig. 1 F, back and forth stand frame 35 is illustrated as one deck construction material 39 is applied to fabrication and with this fabrication 38 that the described mode of Figure 1A is formed images.Be used for being installed to stand frame with the reciprocal conveyer belt 36 that new uncured construction material 39 applies fabrication.Contact through applying device roller 38, apply conveyer belt and 37 pick up construction material from the source with intaglio printing.Construction material source and intaglio printing apply the device roller and also are installed to support.When rightmost position is arrived in support moving conveyor belt, gravure roll and construction material source; As by rotation shown in the arrow; Conveyer belt rotates to the left side around the wheel 40 of roller; So that picking up solids imaging construction material is put on the conveyer belt from the source, and construction material is deposited on the fabrication surface 26.
Leftmost position in Fig. 1 G, framework are shown after the imaging and before the uncured construction material of new one deck being applied to the layer of prior cured, remove construction material uncured on the fabrication.After the imaging, unnecessary uncured construction material generally only remains in the edge on fabrication surface.The second reciprocal transportation surface, peel off conveyer belt 56 and be installed to stand frame 35 and driven around wheel 58, one of them or two can be by the driving mechanisms that drive or select other.Do not resemble the coating belt wheel, at first will peel off the belt wheel 58 of peeling off that conveyer belt and fabrication surface contact is some flexibility and flexible, so that conveyer belt is pressed onto on the fabrication, uncured construction material is moved on to peel off on the conveyer belt.Resemble the situation that applies conveyer belt, reciprocal support that is moved to the left and dextrorotary combination of back and forth peeling off conveyer belt have reduced relatively moving between fabrication surface and the conveyer belt.If desired, peel off conveyer belt and can dab (dab) fabrication surface repeatedly, this is to move to cleaning position through removing and will peel off conveyer belt away from the part of peeling off conveyer belt, and reduce movable part with again with peel off conveyer belt and contact and realize.
Peeling off conveyer belt is that picking up of uncured construction material and release provide porous surface.For example, peeling off conveyer belt generally can be the absorbent web that is selected from cotton or paper or non-layer of woven thermoplastic polymer.Peel off that conveyer belt should fully be built into the reciprocal service stood on the driving mechanism that is used for conveyer belt and for removing uncured construction material dabbing to fabrication.
Peel off conveyer belt reception and reservation construction material easily, also have enough holes to discharge uncured construction material, to clean out or to reclaim.After removing uncured construction material, peel off conveyer belt unnecessary uncured construction material 59 (Fig. 1 F) is transported from the plane of delineation, to clear up or to reuse from fabrication.Return Fig. 1 E, back and forth support 35 moves right, so as transportation be loaded with uncured construction material 59 peel off conveyer belt 56, to remove uncured construction material from conveyer belt.Shown in Fig. 1 F and the 1G is the fluid source of pressurization; For example be installed in the air knife 62 of fixed position with respect to support 35, it will be advanced to the container 64 that is installed on the stand frame from peeling off conveyer belt by peeling off the unnecessary uncured construction material that conveyer belt removes from the fabrication surface.As rotate shown in the arrow, conveyer belt moves right above container, to run into the forced air of unnecessary uncured construction material scope top.
In operation; Elevator landing 32 progressively moves fabrication 28; So that fabrication surface 26 is remained on the plane of delineation, be used for picking up the newly-built material of one deck 39, removing uncured construction material 59 from the new layer of radiation source 22 imagings and by peeling off conveyer belt 56 (Fig. 1 G) from applying conveyer belt 36 (Fig. 1 F).When support 35 moves forward and backward, so that when making the fabrication surface that applies or peel off on the conveyer belt contact image plane, conveyer belt moves in opposite direction with in check speed, to prevent relatively moving between fabrication surface and the conveyer belt.Similarly, remove when applying conveyer belt or peeling off conveyer belt from fabrication when support, conveyer belt is reciprocal in the direction opposite with support.Relatively moving between minimizing conveyer belt and the fabrication surface can be eliminated the air entrapment that in newly-built material layer, is produced by the coating conveyer belt basically and avoided by applying and peel off the exquisite characteristic that conveyer belt destroys fabrication.
Fig. 1 H has explained the coating conveyer belt of Fig. 1 G with zoomed-in view, and this conveyer belt does not contact with fabrication and be reciprocal left.Conveyer belt moves and the contacting of maintenance and gravure roll 38 along the arrow direction.When with the discontiguous situation of fabrication under back and forth the time, conveyer belt is inessential by the operation that construction material 39 applies for device.Plane of delineation gripper shoe 42 and elevator mechanism 43 thereof also are installed on the support and when conveyer belt moves and are lowered.Resemble and can in Fig. 1 I, be more clearly visible, apply conveyer belt and comprise the transport section 53 that is connected to form continuous loop by belt 51, wherein belt 51 can be or for example be the flexible toothed conveyer belt.These two parts make the coating conveyer belt 36 of prior figures form the annular surface of bilateral, are similar to the coating conveyer belt 336 of Fig. 1 D and 1E.
With reference now to the flow chart among Fig. 1 J,, and resemble shown in Fig. 1 F and the 1G, back and forth support has moved to its rightmost position, is to apply the position in illustrated embodiment.Reciprocal support makes the coating conveyer belt aim at the fabrication surface on the plane of delineation.According to step 66 (Fig. 1 J), after the counterclockwise coating conveyer belt that moves moved into place, the intaglio process brush wheel turned clockwise, and engagement applies conveyer belt and one deck construction material is applied to the surperficial coating conveyer belt surface portion of fabrication on the contact fabrication platform.With in check speed, support moves right and applies conveyer belt and is moved to the left, so that will apply conveyer belt takes in the plane of delineation, and step 68, and prevent to apply conveyer belt relatively moving at the plane of delineation.Utilize to roll move and to apply construction material and can stop air trapping in being sent to the construction material of fabrication, and relatively moving between control fabrication and the coating conveyer belt also reduced the hurtful chance of exquisite structure on the fabrication.In case conveyer belt is sent to fabrication with construction material, according to step 70 (Fig. 1 J), imager is with the radiation irradiation plane of delineation that focuses on, and step 72 to solidify construction material, is created new one deck solid fabrication thus.Thereafter; According to step 74; When support is moved to the left,, apply conveyer belt along opposite direction rotation so that the cured portion of removing the uncured portion of construction material coating from the fabrication zone and making construction material is peeled off and made conveyer belt when the plane of delineation is removed from conveyer belt.According to step 76, be moved to the left support and also make and peel off conveyer belt and contact with new imaging layer.
Shown in Fig. 1 G, back and forth support has moved to its leftmost position, gets into and peels off the position.Back and forth support makes and peels off conveyer belt and aim at the plane of delineation.According to step 78, when clockwise reciprocal peel off conveyer belt and move into place after, the uncured construction material from previous coat operations is also removed on the fabrication surface on the conveyer belt contact image plane.With in check speed, support is moved to the left, and moves right and peel off conveyer belt, to prevent peeling off relatively moving of conveyer belt on the plane of delineation, as explained earlier, to prevent the damage to exquisite construction structure.
In case conveyer belt has received construction material from fabrication, peel off conveyer belt and just forward opposite direction to, and support is reciprocal to the right, shown in Fig. 1 F, remove and accomplish circulation, step 80 from the plane of delineation so that will peel off conveyer belt.Shown in Fig. 1 F; When peeling off its rightmost extreme position of conveyer belt arrival, peel off conveyer belt through the air knife of pressure fluid is provided, expose the holder that the below removed uncured construction material and be pushed to by net to pass; Step 82, pressure fluid wherein generally are air.According to step 84, these steps repeat, the fabrication that has multilayer with completion.
Will be appreciated that integrated waste station in the described reciprocal mounting system referring to figs. 1A to 1I can produce cleaner parts through the unnecessary construction material of removing between the layer.The structure that depends on fabrication, these apparatus and method do not need the further fabrication of cleaning before can being created in final curing.Some complicated fabrication shape possibly still have some residual uncured construction materials, do not remove from peeling off conveyer belt, but these more complicated fabrications is generally than cleaner by those compared fabrications that existing system provided.
In this unaccounted control system programmable control is provided; So that the sequence of construction step can be carried out, comprise elevator locations, conveyer belt coating, conveyer belt back and forth, overlay is to the applying of fabrication pad, removing and temperature controlling reciprocal, the uncured construction material of the imaging of fabrication, support.In general, independent shell provides the system unit of the control outside the shell that is used for support and elevator component.Operator station will generally comprise and be used for able to programme and PC automation mechanized operation.
Turn to another embodiment of the invention now, Fig. 2 has explained the embodiment that is similar to Fig. 1 F and 1G, but is modified as semicontinuous operation.The fabrication pad is continuous conveyer belt 130, rather than the discontinuous fabrication pad 30 of Fig. 1 F and 1G embodiment.Can use although will be appreciated that the rotating brush of Figure 1A or the transportation configuration of Fig. 1 D, the others of illustrated device are identical with Fig. 1 F and 1G's.Will be appreciated that semicontinuous embodiment is not limited to the device of Fig. 1 F and 1G embodiment, and can be applied to other embodiment in this specific descriptions scope.
Continuous conveyor fabrication pad 130 vertical planes are to the stroke of reciprocal support 35, and its medium-height trestle 35 comprises coating conveyer belt 36 respectively and peels off conveyer belt 56.On the plane of delineation, advancing with index (indexing) mode at the 130 ' continuous conveyor 130 locating to see on the plane of delineation, when each fabrication was accomplished, index forward was so that provide new platform for each new fabrication.Continuous conveyor fabrication pad 130 can comprise by force to being enough to stand tension force, in fabrication is in layer handled, suitably clamping fabrication and any suitable material that is ready to from the fabrication of conveyer belt release completion being provided.A kind of such suitable material is polyester film (Mylar).
Shown in Fig. 2 A, continuous conveyor platform 130 is by feed rolls 130 ' and pick-up roller 130 " provide.Continuous conveyor is advanced from feed rolls on elevator landing 32 between elevator landing and fabrication 28, and through tension force or through utilizing the vacuum between elevator landing and the continuous conveyor, can remain on the position on the lift.Will be appreciated that continuous conveyor 130 is fixed in the fabrication process, and towards pick-up roller index forward, so that remove the fabrication 28 of completion and be used for above lift, placing new fabrication pad 130 parts on the plane of delineation from the plane of delineation.When conveyer belt forward during index, the fabrication 128 ' of completion is removed and is placed in the container 136, is used for further handling as required or using in the mill.Alternatively, utilize suitable light source, for example UV bulb 61 and reflector 63 further solidify the fabrication of accomplishing 128 ' after uncompleted situation, to reach dried state or even arrival curing fully.
The step of Fig. 2 B explanation method of illustrated semicontinuous embodiment each side in Fig. 2 and 2A.As illustrated among Fig. 2 B, on continuous conveyor fabrication pad, processing clean fabrication on the plane of delineation according to step 188.According to step 190, conveyer belt is index forward, so that fabrication pad and fabrication are shifted out the plane of delineation and the newly-built divine force that created the universe pad of conveyer belt partly is put in the plane of delineation.These steps 188 repeat step 192 with 190 pairs of semi-continuous cleaning fabrication manufacture processes.An advantage of semicontinuous embodiment is that fabrication can semi-continuously solidify fully and processing is complete for fabrication in clean not accomplishing.
Should be appreciated that the fabrication that can obtain doing like the semicontinuous production of in the present invention's practice, envisioning.The semicontinuous aspect of Fig. 2 and 2A embodiment can also provide additional phase by semicontinuous mode.These additional phase can utilize the ultraviolet lamp assembly to provide to not accomplishing the additional curing of fabrication, so that produce completely crued fabrication.If expectation can be incorporated additional chemical treatment into, like what in audiphone production, come in handy.Utilize semicontinuous production, during solid-state imaging device of the present invention and method even can be incorporated into make to be handled and become its complete part.For example, the equipment of straightening of teeth generally is on the mould through solid state image production, to create.Utilize the practice of the semicontinuous embodiment of the present invention, can solidify fully, get into the molding station then, semi-continuously to carry out the production of straightening of teeth equipment by the clean mould of solid state image production.
Fig. 2 B has explained the additional step of semicontinuous embodiment useful method wherein of the present invention synoptically.Like what discussed, fabrication is prepared on the conveyer belt platform and is shifted forward.According to step 194, after the plane of delineation was removed, each fabrication solidified on the continuous fabrication platform of displacement fully at fabrication.Alternatively, like what in step 196, narrated, conveyer belt can be integrated with the manufacturing processing in downstream, so that be transported in this processing completely crued fabrication or this processing of process.At last, like what in step 198, narrated, completely crued fabrication is removed from the conveyer belt platform.
Fig. 3 has explained second kind of semicontinuous embodiment of the present invention, and with respect to device illustrated among Fig. 1 G and the 1H, it is modified to removes automatically and replace discontinuous fabrication platform.Although optional plane of delineation gripper shoe 42 and driver 43 (Fig. 1 F) are not described, as about Fig. 2, those among the others of device illustrated in fig. 3 and Fig. 1 F are identical.Will be appreciated that the semicontinuous embodiment of Fig. 3 is not limited to the device of Fig. 1 G embodiment, and go for other embodiment in this specification scope.
As illustrated in fig. 3, lift 34 is shown with elevator landing 32 and rises to the top that applies conveyer belt 36.Fabrication is before accomplished, and the fabrication platform of fabrication and support fabrication is removed.The newly-built divine force that created the universe on the new platform does not also begin.Back and forth support 35, to apply and peel off conveyer belt 36 and 56 all be respectively motionless.
The discontinuous fabrication platform 230 of a pile is set in the distributor 230 ', and new fabrication platform 230 " removed and sent to elevator landing 32 from distributor.In the embodiment of Fig. 3, these fabrication platforms will be removed and replaced, and from the distributor to the lift and from the lift of fabrication with completion, wherein have and will be suitable for picking up and put down system's (not shown) with the routine that apparatus of the present invention are used.Fabrication platform 230 " be fixed to elevator landing and aim at the image that produces by imager 22.
The step that is used for the method for embodiment practice illustrated in fig. 3 is explained at Fig. 3 A.At first, according to step 288, complete and clean fabrication is accomplished on a discontinuous fabrication platform.According to step 289, pick up and put down system or other suitable system and remove fabrication and fabrication platform.Then, this system is fixed to newly-built divine force that created the universe platform on the elevator landing and with the fabrication platform and aims at step 290 with the imager on the plane of delineation.For semi-continuous clean fabrication production, these steps 288,289 and 290 repeat step 292.
Alternatively, according to step 293, clean do not accomplish fabrication and can remove from the fabrication platform of producing it, perhaps fabrication can solidify on this platform fully, and step 294 is removed step 298 from the fabrication pad then.According to step 289, if expectation, then can be step 288 after and fabrication 28 with when fabrication pad 30 is still on elevator landing 32 (Fig. 3) or removing execution in step 294 and 298 afterwards.
Fig. 4 has explained and can be used to oneself the fore-and-aft plane figure more than apparatus of the present invention embodiment of the construction material in a source.The embodiment of Fig. 4 can provide the clean fabrication of processing by more than a kind of construction material.This embodiment provides the reciprocal coating conveyer belt 336 and 336 ' of two annulars; Wherein these two coating conveyer belts can be shifted and can back and forth peel off conveyer belt 356 with the centre and connect; Wherein each coating conveyer belt all is installed on the support 335; Be used to apply and peel off assembly the moving back and forth on fabrication platform 332 of conveyer belt, wherein on this fabrication platform 332, fabrication pad 330 be installed.Fabrication pad 330 is promoted by driver 334 and elevator landing 332.Fabrication is by imager 322 imagings.Intaglio printing apply device roller 338,338 ' and holder 337,337 ' be fixed on the carriage 350, and, apply conveyer belt and above them, advance when before and after the support back and forth the time.Not resembling among Figure 1A and the 1F, gravure roll and holder be installed on the support and reciprocal with support.The others of Fig. 4 embodiment comprise the heating to the device in the shell 349.The composition that is used for material and the construction material of conveyer belt be similar to discussed above those.
As in all embodiments of discussing at this; Reduced relatively moving between fabrication surface and the conveyer belt in reciprocal support that a direction moves and the reciprocal coating of in the opposite direction moving and the combination of peeling off conveyer belt, and reduced air entrapment in the newly-built material layer that is applied to the fabrication surface and the possibility of exquisite fabrication structural damage.Although there are several places similar between the embodiment of embodiment before and Fig. 4, should be pointed out that fabrication is not put upside down in Fig. 4 and following embodiment.
Apply conveyer belt 336 and 336 ' and be triangularly arranged around three rollers, as required, these rollers can be tension force or driven roller.These three rollers 340 are related with coating conveyer belt 334.Roller 340 ' is related with coating conveyer belt 336 '.If expectation, each apply conveyer belt can Figure 1A in illustrated mode arrange around two rollers 40.As in the embodiment of Figure 1A and 1E, the front end roller that run into the fabrication surface on the fabrication platform is enough rigidity, so that the thickness of construction material to be set.
Apply conveyer belt applying from the replacement in independent construction material source respectively of fabrication 328 is provided, construction material source wherein is a holder 337 and 337 '.These independently can comprise identical or different construction material in the source.To be similar to the mode of the process of accomplishing and describing with reference to Figure 1A; Holder source 337 and 337 ' provides the construction material in each holder to gravure roll 338 and 338 ' respectively; Gravure roll is sent to the coating conveyer belt with construction material, to be sent to the plane of delineation.
But peel off conveyer belt 356 are continuous being shifted and reciprocating conveyor that provide from the feed rolls 357 on driving and jockey pulley 358 to pick-up roller 359.Depend on support and be to the right or reciprocal left; Each all at first makes the roller 358 of bottom and peels off conveyer belt and contact with fabrication is surperficial; Therefore all some flexibility and elasticity of two rollers so that conveyer belt is pressed onto on the fabrication, removes to uncured construction material and peels off on the conveyer belt.Through conveyer belt is displaced to pick-up roller from feed rolls, the new conveyer belt of peeling off can be provided as required.
Fig. 4 has explained reflector 361 and UV bulb 363, and they are used to solidify the uncured construction material of peeling off on the conveyer belt when peeling off conveyer belt and twine on the pick-up roller that is used to handle the conveyer belt of using.As substitute mode; Can adopt the construction material recovery system of Fig. 1 E and 1F and peel off the conveyer belt configuration; Apply the relative side of conveyer belt and added second coating conveyer belt peeling off conveyer belt and first; Have air knife or other suitable device, be used for construction material is knocked out from peeling off the conveyer belt net.Will be appreciated that, if construction material source 337,337 ' is the ink-jet source, then peel-off device 356 these the configuration in any in all be unwanted.
In operating process, first applies conveyer belt 336 through 337 receiving one deck coating materials with contacting from the source of gravure roll 338.Conveyer belt moves to the plane of delineation and construction material is sent to the surface 326 of the fabrication 328 on the plane of delineation that is limited imager 322.Imager 322 provides the solid state image radiation 324 of focusing, so that make the construction material hardening.Thereafter; Support, comprise apply conveyer belt 336 with 336 ' and the centre peel off conveyer belt, net 356, will be to shifting left; Shift out the plane of delineation and make and peel off conveyer belt 356 and contact applying conveyer belt 336, so that remove any unnecessary uncured construction material with the surface of hardening fabrication.Thereafter, support continues will peel off conveyer belt and shift out the plane of delineation to shifting left.During this time or before next strip operation, peeling off conveyer belt can shift forward, so that expose new net.Through being used for the final flash exposure of handling, the uncured coating part of peeling off net 356 can during this time be solidified.
After peeling off conveyer belt and moving on to the position on fabrication platform and the fabrication pad, second coating conveyer belt 336 ' is through 337 ' picking up construction material with contacting from the source of gravure roll 338 '.Continue after shift left, leaving the plane of delineation when peeling off conveyer belt, support is put into the top of fabrication platform with second coating conveyer belt 336 ', so that the construction material that will be used to form images is sent to the fabrication on the fabrication pad.Then, support moves right and applies and stripping bench, peels off net 356 and contacts with fabrication once more so that make, and peels off.The repeating of all these steps will produce fabrication.
Fig. 5 is the fore-and-aft plane figure of the similar embodiment of Fig. 4 device, and it has away from applying and bigger stripping media supply and the pick-up roller (not shown) of peeling off support (in the reciprocal process of coating and waste station, not disturb imager 322).Replace being installed to off-grid supply of stripping and the pick-up roller on the reciprocal roller support, resemble the roller 357 and 359 among Fig. 4, supply in Fig. 5 embodiment and pick-up roller are provided with moving assembly discretely.The net slewing rollers can be configured to peel off the position and from peeling off position guiding pick-up roller with peeling off conveyer belt from feed rolls guiding.Other element be similar to Fig. 4 those and have identical number; Operation generally speaking resembles about Fig. 4 described.
Fig. 6 is the vertical schematic plan view that is similar to the another kind of embodiment of Fig. 4 device, is designed so that with single construction material source.The device of Fig. 6 has the single coating conveyer belt 336 through intaglio process brush wheel 338 337 reception solid state image construction materials from the fixed storage source, wherein when support is reciprocal, applies conveyer belt and on intaglio process brush wheel 338, passes through.Then, construction material in layer is applied on the fabrication 328 that is supported by driver of elevator 334, elevator landing 332 and fabrication pad 330.Imager 322 is exposed to radiation 324 with each layer construction material so that layer solidifies.Feed rolls 357 provides with pick-up roller 359 and newly peels off net 356, is used between the applying of new layer, removing uncured construction material from fabrication.The construction material of partly removing from fabrication was solidified by flash exposure source, UV lamp 361 and reflector 363 before twining on the pick-up roller.Apply and peel off conveyer belt and be included in the shell 349 and can be heated, make heating be used to pick up to apply that kind that as above to discuss with the benefit that is applied to the construction material on the fabrication on the conveyer belt and realize.Although there be not second applicator, the reciprocal operation of equipment is as top described about Fig. 4.
Fig. 7 is the top view of device embodiments shown in Figure 4, parallel second device that is used for applying to single fabrication multiple construction material that added.This device has the first and second parallel reciprocal supports.Support is identical with Fig. 4 generally speaking, just once has only a top that is positioned at the fabrication platform.The reciprocal perpendicular ground of the single support of the whole assembly of first and second supports and fabrication platform and mat top back and forth; So that at first with a reciprocal support; Then second support is put on the plane of delineation of fabrication platform and mat top, as indicated by direction arrow.
The first and second reciprocal supports have two coating conveyer belts 336,336 ' and 436,436 ' respectively, also have the conveyer belt of peeling off 356 and 456 respectively.First support that the arrow indication of indication move left and right comprises conveyer belt 336,356 and 336 ' above fabrication platform 332 back and forth.Second bracket component with conveyer belt 436,456 and 436 ' is just worked after the coating of first bracket component and strip operation are accomplished.After first bracket component had been accomplished its layer, after the curing that is exposed to radiation source 322, first bracket component moved on by the vertical arrows indicated direction, quitting work, and second bracket component was aimed at the fabrication platform, started working.After the layer that first bracket component puts it down, if expectation, then second bracket component moves on by the vertical arrows indicated direction, quitting work, and second bracket component aimed at fabrication pad 330, starts working, up to fabrication 328 completion.
In operation, the assembly of Fig. 7 can put down nearly four kinds of different construction materials.A support can be used to provide support, and another provides the fabrication product.As substitute mode, the labyrinth with various construction material layers can resemble be used for biological structure create.Will be appreciated that through adding new support, the embodiment of Fig. 7 can expand to the 3rd or the 4th support, perhaps even more so that be increased in solid state image handle in the value volume and range of product of the construction material that uses.
Fig. 8,9 and 10 has described the different views of conventional digital optical processor imager 722, and wherein imager 722 is can be as the type that the imager of focused radiation is provided in any embodiment practice of Figure 1A to 7.Fig. 8 illustrates imager from top view, and its optical axis 700 is positioned at the center of image that imager produces 702.Fig. 9 shows the imager that supported on 704 on the surface by mat 706 and exploded view kine bias from side view and moves on to above the optical axis.Figure 10 shows imager and image squints and above optical axis to the right from rearview.
Will be appreciated that a variety of solid state image radiation sources can be suitable for providing in the present invention the radiation of focusing.For the embodiment that uses gravure roll; Perhaps in order to provide the construction material layer that is designed to only to harden corresponding to the focused radiation of those parts of desired image, imager comprises the UV projector, like employed scan laser system, LCD (liquid crystal diode), LCoS (liquid crystal over silicon), LED (light emitting diode) or DLP (digital light processing) projector in the optical three-dimensional molded object.
In a kind of specific embodiment, imager is the DLP projector.Usually available imager is generally limited to the image-region of 1024x768 pixel.More high-resolution imaging device with higher micro mirror density generally has the image-region of 1400x1050 pixel and produces the image than the size big about 37% that little imager produced.
The commercial available DLP projector generally needs improved optics to come not only to show UV but also show visible wavelength, and the layout that transports the solid state image mounting system based on flexibility is set up the focal length of expectation, and based on employed material adjustment luminous intensity.The DLP projector after a kind of such improvement has combined DMD (digital micromirror device) array and has had lamp and nine element projection lens; It is to being carried out to picture from the radiation on the spectral range that is suitable for solid state image of this lamp, be included on 9x6.75 inch (22.9x17.4cm) image-region focal length with the 400mm projection distance from about 350 to 450nm.Image is that 1024 pixels are wide and 768 pixels high.The DLP projector can comprise the UV/IR filter, so that remove the radiation outside the expectation spectral range from lamp.The irradiation lens can be used for the radiation from lamp is evenly distributed in projection lens.Can also provide lamp and irradiation lens and UV are strengthened the UV that mirror interconnects mutually to strengthen photoconductive tube, wherein UV strengthens mirror has the radiation sensing to communicate by letter with irradiation lens and projection lens.
As indicated above, the commercial digital light projector produces the image with coarse resolution, because their resolution ratio receives the pixel size restriction.1024x768 pixel in the image that is produced by the commercial digital light projector has limited the size of the three dimensional object that can on support platform, build, because resolution ratio reduces with the increase of fabrication platform size pro rata.Picture size in the general commercial light projector to 1024 pixels, to 768 pixels, therefore produces coarse image with the resolution limit on the y direction of principal axis with the resolution limit on the x direction of principal axis.In addition, commercial light projector can not focus on ideally, so intrinsic aberration can cause the pixel of bluring in each projector.This " out of focus (out of focus) " state is striden pixel image area and is changed.In addition, for each projector, the amount of " out of focus " state is different.But; Utilize the intrinsic unsharpness of pixel and adopt the gray level levels of exposure to change light intensity level in the exposure process of light curable construction material (like the liquid resin prescription) for each boundary pixel, allow to be controlled the polymerization border of curable photopolymer construction material by the gray-scale value of projection boundary pixel.In this pixel, object can form in single exposure, with realize much bigger fabrication object precision with the wall smoothness of the solid-state image of being built or three-dimensional part.Can control so curable construction material with by the corresponding polymerization of a plurality of pixels border in projection boundary pixel or x and the y plane, 10.24 inches x7.68 inch zones more than mentioning will appear to have a lot of effective resolution greatly than 100dpi only.Bigger fabrication platform also can use, and bigger object can be built.
The digital light projector is controlled one group of very little mirror and is reflected light to relevant pixel.Through control reflection or irradiation time, each can be changed to 1 (white) from 0 (black) by the luminous intensity K of projected pixels on the plane of delineation, has from 0 to 255 different grey-scale.A kind of OK range of gray level is from about 60 to about 255.The another kind of OK range of gray level is from about 100 to about 255.
The commercial digital light projector makes pixel in the image fuzzy or have slight image blurring inherent characteristic can cause an overlapping luminous intensity of neighbor pixel.For further explanation, this light intensity distributions can be approximated to be Gaussian distribution, but the distribution of actual glazing possibly be many different forms.(x, the luminous intensity K that y) locates are actually all neighbor pixels to this point (x, y) summation of the luminous intensity of contribution to point.(x, the luminous intensity of y) locating is point (x, the mixing resultant of all luminous intensities of neighbor pixel y) to point.Center from pixel is far away more, and the luminous intensity of pixel is low more.It is image blurring to obtain certain of pixel through the optical system of regulating the digital light projector, and the luminous intensity of pixel spreads to its all neighbor pixel.When point was forming in the boundary pixel of target edges or wall, it will have neighbor pixel still less: the point that is arranged in corner wall pixel had 3 neighbor pixels, and was arranged in the edge that leaves the corner or the point of wall pixel has 5 neighbor pixels.
Control to the exposure of image-region can realize through controlling specific exposure parameter.The energy that is transported to target substrate by radiation source can be by relational expression, the exposure=radiation intensity x time for exposure, representes.This relation is used to control exposure parameter.Parameter is the irradiation time of each pixel in the plane in the control cross section that constitutes the three dimensional object of building.As substitute mode, another parameter of control levels of exposure can be to change light intensity level, for example through under the situation constant to all boundary pixels maintenance time for exposure, changing the gray level grade.The 3rd parameter is to change by the width of the luminous intensity of projected pixels.This can be realized by the focus level of projected pixels through changing.This parameter can change at the diverse location place on image-region.All three kinds of technology can be individually, combine ground or all combines employing simultaneously with various combination.Through utilizing the projection intensity at selected pixel place in the digital camera measurement image zone, the single projector can be characterized by the pixel intensity width in its x and the y plane function of location of pixels.This information can store in the solid-state imaging device, is used for obtaining striding the optimum image performance of the plane of delineation and to the accurate control on the polymerization border of formation object.Can controlled the 4th additional parameter the luminous intensity that is lamp in the projector to the age.Because the intensity of lamp; And the amount of the light energy of being carried thus; Reduce in time, so lamp must compensate through the time for exposure that increases lamp the aging effect of institute's conveying capacity, so that the pixel that in total time, has the photon transport of equal number to be throwed to quilt.Utilize radiometer periodic measurement intensity.Because every kind of curable photopolymer construction material all has its own specific characteristic that influences polymerization, ray velocity (photospeed) for example, therefore for selected particular settable photopolymerization construction material, these four parameters will be calibrated.
Calibration is through for point (x; Y) varying photonic intensities of regulating the pixel of locating and 8 neighbor pixels thereof realizes; Make that the accumulation luminous intensity K of expectation is enough to solidify the curable photopolymer construction material of that point based on the irradiation time of each pixel in the image-region that forms the object cross section.When the luminous intensity K of accumulation equaled or exceeded the required transition energy Ec of cure curable photopolymer construction material (like the liquid resin prescription), this construction material was with the geometry of solidifying and adding the object that forms to.When the luminous intensity of accumulation during less than transition energy Ec, construction material will remain on non-curing or liquid state.
For typical resin, transition energy Ec is than the used energy much less of main body of the layer in the border that is used to make public, and approximately is 20% or still less.Be used for about 10% to 12% of layer exposure energy that the Ec of the typical resins that apparatus of the present invention adopt normally adopted.The peak width that solidifies changes according to the luminous intensity of edge pixel.Because the luminous intensity from pixel changes with gray level, the polymerization that therefore forms the curable construction material on edges of regions or border can be controlled through the gray level that changes boundary pixel.
Change exposure intensity grade and pixel intensity width or can be caused slight image blurring and influence to be transported to the amount of the light energy of boundary pixel by the focus level of projected pixels; So that control the polymerization border of curable photopolymer construction material, thus with the edge of characteristic or the active position on border in the subpixel resolution definition object bounds pixel.Changing the intensity levels of exposure realizes through changing irradiation or time for exposure and/or gray level levels of exposure.This technology has realized than existing much higher image boundary resolution ratio in the pixel resolution only.
Should be pointed out that by image projected it is to have the x at edge and the two dimensional image of y direction.When forming three dimensional object through a plurality of cross-sectional layers of layer, formed object extends in the z direction or the third dimension.The present invention has realized by the edge-smoothing property in independent two-dimensional section image projection in the projects images.When each two-dimensional section image projection polymerization during curable photopolymer construction material, form solid layer corresponding to exposure projected pixels zone on the curable photopolymer construction material.Will a plurality of range upon range of cross-sectional layers in build handling one by one paste or be added to together, the three dimensional object that the present invention's formation has smooth wall, this smooth wall is formed by the smooth edges of a plurality of stickups in each cross-sectional layers.
The numerical data of the three dimensional object that in operation, is used for building sends to solid imaging system.Preferably it is from cad data being converted to suitable digital layer data form and it being fed to the CAD station (also not having not shown) of computer control system or master computer (not shown); Wherein object data is manipulated to through algorithm and optimizes this data, so that the ON/OFF instruction to be provided to the digital light projector.As substitute mode, this numerical data can be by solid imaging system through carrying out digitlization or receiving from schema file to physical unit.Preferably handle by cad data or through the solid state image layer data that the digitlization physical unit perhaps sometimes obtains from schema file, will build the cross-section data of the cross-sectional layers of object to create representative by master computer utilization section program.Sometimes do not cut into slices from the solid state image layer data that mode data obtains, but pattern directly is used as the bitmap cross section.These steps of the present invention are to carry out with identical mode during the standard optical three-dimensional molded object is handled.The slice of data that obtains from the section program converts data bitmap to.Utilize the gray level software program, master computer calculates the required gray level levels of exposure in polymerization border of when the exposure construction material, controlling curable photopolymer construction material.Microprocessor controller in the solid-state imaging device or computer receive the bitmap input of the object that will form.Then, the cross-section data of bitmapped is applied algorithm, be used for the for example instruction of the controller of microchip of the digital light projector with establishment by the controller in the solid-state imaging device or computer.For the digital light projector, before its focal length by the projection light pixel was characterized through the pixel focus level of observing on the image-region (or plane).For the projector, also its light intensity distributions is characterized, and focal length and irradiation time are all adjusted as required through the luminous intensity of using selected location of pixels on the radiometer document image zone.What irradiation time was based on luminous intensity, the age of lamp in the digital light projector and the particular settable photopolymer construction material that will use is adjusted.Radiation transparent construction material carrier with curable photopolymer construction material from supply holder or slits to imaging region.Imaging region is supported by support platform, and wherein support platform is installed to the framework of solid-state imaging device movably, so that stretch and the withdrawal support platform, and the polymerization and form three dimensional object on this support platform of wherein curable photopolymer construction material.Through in the cross section that will form, throwing the image of representing the bitmapped cross-section data, the levels of exposure with expectation in the image-region of the digital light projector in the border of three dimensional object is selected pixel with the irradiation mode irradiation of expectation.The levels of exposure of expectation is through the one or more previous exposure parameter of discussing that characterizes the digital light projector and adjusts levels of exposure as required in response to this sign and obtain.Allow to be applied different exposure parameters through zones of different from the levels of exposure of the expectation of the digital light projector in the image-region and come to solidify selectively the photopolymer construction material the plane of delineation by image projected, and the polymerization border of photopolymer construction material in the pixelation image that throwed of control.Then, the fabrication platform leaves and the contacting of radiation transparent construction material carrier, before exposure next time, to prepare to receive new or uncured curable photopolymer construction material.Carry the image-region on curable photopolymer construction material, the irradiation support platform and reorientate support platform, up to accomplishing three dimensional object so that receiving the step of the supply of new curable photopolymer construction material repeats each cross-sectional layers.
Based on empirical data, algorithm is chosen in the needs pixel of high grade grey level value exposure or irradiation more that has more most characteristics of objects in the specific pixel.Although the amount of the photopolymer construction material that boundary solidifies is different with the different digital light projectors for dissimilar construction materials, the relation between the amount of gray level grade and the photopolymer construction material that solidifies along boundary pixel will be followed identical pattern usually.The gray-scale value K of pixel is provided with according to the elemental area in parts or the characteristic.The gray-scale value K that distributes to pixel is the function of ratio r [K=f (r)], and wherein r is the area A of the part that is positioned at parts or characteristic of pixel ' with the ratio of whole elemental area A, perhaps r=A '/A.But because for the pixel in parts or the characteristic, this ratio is 1, and for the pixel of outside, ratio is 0, so gray-scale value needs for boundary pixel and neighbor pixel thereof.The area value of the part that is positioned at parts or characteristic of boundary pixel is based on super and is similar to the area A of the part that is positioned at parts or characteristic of pixel ' value.This super method is suitable for using with the section algorithm based on image.
This algorithm is divided into sub-pixel set Pij or the branch again (subdivision) of sub-pixel Pij in the kxk matrix with boundary pixel, and wherein the some parts of characteristics of objects passes this boundary pixel.Then, whether each sub-pixel Pij of algorithm heart sampling is therein covered by certain part of characteristics of objects to confirm it.Cover or the gross area of those sub-pixels Pij in certain part of characteristics of objects is approximately the area A of the part of pixel in characteristics of objects of being divided by certain part of characteristics of objects '.For having the pixel that kxk divides again, ratio r can be expressed as certain part by characteristics of objects and cover perhaps the gross area of those sub-pixels Pij in certain of characteristics of objects is a part of and divide divided by kxk again, perhaps
r＝∑Pij(covered)
k×k
Utilize this method, the border resolution ratio that object is built by the above forms the kxk matrix or again the number of branch again of branch confirm.For example, the 4x4 matrix will have 16 different gray-scale values and border resolution ratio to be confirmed by pixel size/4.Similarly,, 64 different gray-scale values will be arranged, and border resolution ratio is confirmed by pixel size/8 for the 8x8 matrix.
A kind of replacement algorithmic method about the over-sampling technique of above firm discussion can calculate based on boundary areas, and this method is used to indicate the projector will shine which pixel.Being calculated by the area in projective object or the characteristic boundary in each pixel used real or created in each pixel boundary clearly geometry near approximate border segment.This algorithm will calculate the accurate or approximate area that is positioned at the border fragment of passing each pixel of each geometry that will shine; And these areas are added up, produce in the border segment of the object that will throw or characteristic in each cross section of object accurately or approximate accurate area.
Utilize described gray level levels of exposure, but the visible system boundary error of the form with observing pattern is still arranged on the object bounds of formation object.Can't deny, through boundary pixel being used different gray level levels of exposure, these errors with little 1/k doubly and more difficulty see that but when closely checking, they possibly still can be seen.But randomization is incorporated in the gray-scale value of boundary pixel and can be created in the manufacturing object that its border does not have any observing pattern.This can be through adding the random number Δ f in the given range and f (r)+Δ f being appointed as the gray-scale value of pixel or through using look-up table to realize; Wherein for any given area ratio r, in given range, change from the return of value f (r) of look-up table.
The construction area of solid-state imaging (comprising that the present invention and other flexibility transport solid-state imaging) can increase through the number that increases imager.Is some other imager of pixel for DLP with the irradiation array; Comprise liquid crystal diode (" LCD "), liquid crystal over silicon (" LCoS "), light emitting diode (" LED "), ultraviolet ray (" UV ") projector etc.; The present invention includes solid state image; Wherein two or more imagers are aimed at, as an imager assembly that increases image area.In these imagers each can increase by the array of accurate aligning, so that produce bigger image area, and can not increase minimum feature size or reduce radiosity.
Before the alignment procedures of utilizing the digital camera array, imager is characterized respectively.The intensity distributions of each imager characterizes through using the radiometer detector.A kind of suitable camera array is 16 camera arrays, is arranged in 4 row cameras, and every row has 4 cameras.Suitable camera comprises the black and white type IV-BWCAM2EX camera with Euresys Picolo Pro3 series of frames receiver.
After each imager having been carried out sign; The set of a plurality of imagers utilizes the digital camera array of another 9 cameras to characterize; So that the image that is produced by these imagers is aimed at, and measure pixel mixed characteristic along seam crossing between the image-region.The pixel mixed characteristic is very different along the opposite side of seam usually.
Figure 11 has illustrated a plurality of imagers 722,722 ', 722 aim at in solid state image, using in rearview " and 722 " ' the array example.The projected area of each imager is appointed as 702,702 ', 702 respectively " and 702 " ', they correspond respectively to a quadrant of combination projected area.Nine cameras 710 focus on the seam between each imager projected area, so that observe the intensity and the aligning of imager in the imager array.
Figure 12,13 and 14 has described the test pattern that is used for aiming at a plurality of imagers that the imager array uses.Figure 12 is the pixel subset 712,714 of two imager projected areas 702 and 702 ' boundary under the situation that two imagers 722 and 722 ' are aimed at.Figure 13 is the pixel subset 712,714 of two imager projected areas 702,702 ' boundary under two imagers overlap the situation of 1/2 pixel.Figure 14 is 5 pixel x, 5 pattern of pixels that the seam 702/702 ' of the image that is used to characterize imager 722 ' is shown.
Select as replacement, imager can watch seam to aim at through setting up with the 2x2 pixel checkerboard test pattern of each imager imaging and with 9 cameras that are positioned on the seam.The imager position is adjusted to the optimum Match that obtains test pattern along each seam.Because pincushion or barrel-shaped distortion, accurately therefore match pattern possibly need 1/2 pixel, 1 pixel or the more whole zone that overlaps and guarantee imager coverage test pattern seamlessly.The maximum overlapping generally is about 1 pixel.Imager possibly be adjusted to the variation of intensity between the reply imager, and this variation can be measured by the radiometer detector.Then, the multiplication factor of each imager can through the mobile imaging device a little near or wide or adjust through regulating zoom lens, and multiplication factor is adjusted to and makes pixel is lined up along seam fully.
Next, confirm the mixed characteristic of pixel on the seam.Although imager possibly can produce wide light intensity distributions, the solid state image construction material has only two kinds of possible states: material is cured or is uncured.In addition, the energy on the given pixel is not only to give through the exposure of this pixel, also can give through the exposure of neighbor pixel.Therefore, the curing of the solid state image construction material of given pixel position is the result of this pixel and neighbours' thereof cumulative exposure on the plane of delineation.Cumulative exposure can be advantageously used in raising by the resolution ratio on the border of projects images; This is that on August 29th, 2006 submitted to, title is the Patent Application No. 11/468 of " Improved Wall Smoothness; Feature Accuracy and Resolution in Projected Images via ExposureLevels in Solid Imaging "; Discuss in 090, the full content of this patent is hereby incorporated by.
When with a plurality of imager cooperation, cumulative exposure also has further implication.Particularly, when the part of image is fallen in the overlapping projected area of two or more imagers, possibly double near the levels of exposure of wanting the consolidation zone part.In other words, although the levels of exposure that single imager produces in given area possibility deficiency is passed through a plurality of imagers so that construction material solidifies, the exposure in this zone can provide enough energy to solidify construction material with accumulating.
For cumulative exposure is described, this method supposition is for each imager at each position of camera 710 place of seam crossing, and 5 pixel x, 5 pattern of pixels resemble among Figure 14 and for seam 702/702 ', form images., at first be the intensity of outside pattern row, then be the intensity of outside pattern row, reduce through changing gray level in from 255 to 0 scope thereafter.In each change of gray level, record is from the intensity section (profile) of camera.Handled and compared from the data of the section that these write down, to confirm the relation between boundary position and the gray level with the threshold exposure of the curable photopolymer construction material that is used for to use.
For the given boundary position of cross-over connection seam, possibly need different gray levels for two imagers.The gray-scale value of computation bound pixel, and use the tram that correct gray level is proofreaied and correct the border of cross-over connection seam.Gray level is inserted between the camera the border position correction.If insert accurately inadequately, position of camera or camera in the middle of then using move along seam, and write down more that multidata improves precision.As substitute mode, boundary position can utilize the combination of time for exposure or time for exposure and gray level to proofread and correct.
For the situation that pixel overlaps, set up the exposure rule.For example, if pixel overlaps, then (except any gray level adjustment that is used for correct boundary position, go back) and utilize the gray level adjustment that each pixel intensity is reduced the half the of percentage that overlap.Maybe be in the residual slight imaging illusion of seam crossing; But the visual effect of this illusion can reduce through the little random offset that each layer all adds to boundary position data.Can provide controller to come the exposure at control joint place and be used for the projects images of the imager that produces image segments is carried out segmentation.
Will be appreciated that the automation mechanized operation for device can provide many control functions, comprise applying and peeling off function, lift function, imager function, have embodiment and other of a plurality of imagers of the fabrication size that is used to increase.These controllers are explanation not, but will be appreciated that these control functions will be attached in the single controller element usually.
Figure 15 A, 15B and 15C further illustrate when imager overlaps, and confirm the importance of the image boundary position of each imager in the imager array.These illustrate two imagers: along 45 degree borderline regions, the imager A on the left side and the imager B on the right.In these figure, image is shown in the profile of black.Border 750 is corresponding to the border of Figure 15 A; Border 752 is corresponding to the border of Figure 15 B; And border 754 is corresponding to the border of Figure 15 C.The pixel of the indicated imager of each square representative, each is the 5x5 array, and imager is along the pixel that is positioned at the center about 1 pixel that overlaps, to produce the array of 9x5 pixel altogether.Shade is indicated the degree of illumination of independent pixel.The shadow-free pixel is a complete opening; Overabundant yin image element is closed fully; And slight shadows pixels had not both had complete opening between between it, did not close fully yet.
Figure 15 A has explained the state that the gray level of imager A is characterized, and imager A gray level characterizes and to be applied to imager B, so that boundary position to be set.But,, do not have two imagers that given gray level is had identical characteristic usually owing to comprise a variety of causes of the degree and the whole imager intensity of focusing.According to for characterizing the selected gray level setting of imager A, imager B is tending towards making and moves on the image, and imager B provides the light of Duoing than imager A to the pixel of position, border in other words.This effect can see that image is cross over the zone of imager B from the zone of imager A here at the boundary position at point 751 places.Image boundary is moved in having only the zone of imager B, in other words, because more available light arranged, solidifies (gray level at imager A is adjusted, and imager B pixel is complete opening more) corresponding to more construction materials of imager B pixel.
How Figure 15 B can proofread and correct the image shift of in Figure 15 A, seeing if having shown to the application of the independent gray level sign of each imager in the imager array.Image boundary position 752 matches each imager, makes that boundary position is known about gray level.Then, can use gray level adjustment, wherein image stitches together from imager independently.If imager B has correctly been characterized, then the gray level exposure reduces and matees the gray level exposure of imager A adjustment.45 degree borders are properly oriented.
Figure 15 C has explained prior art; Wherein do not carry out the gray level adjustment at boundary, and show the image of Figure 15 A, this image is upward displacement still; Wherein stride in the zone of more complete opening of imager B at 755 place's images; And owing in edge of image the brightness of imager A is not adjusted, so image has been also to having shifted left, even further from the displaced imager border of expectation.
Will be appreciated that in order to simplify, Figure 15 A, 15B and 15C have only explained the sub-fraction of typical entire image area at the place, zonule on border.In general, whole irradiated elemental areas are much bigger, and the step that will take to add is guaranteed accurate fabrication.For example, construction material possibly shrink when solidifying.In these cases, large-area interior section in the piece that imaging allows to shrink, the zonule between the filling block usually is useful with minimize retraction then.Thereafter, resemble combine that Figure 15 B discussed the border of forming images, so that accurate fabrication to be provided.
Being summarized among Figure 16 A of basic step that is used for the method for the employed imager of aligned array explained.At first, according to step 730, the image-region of each imager is aimed at along each edge of image in the array.In order to aim at imager, the image-region that is produced by each imager is imaged onto on the target that is divided into from the corresponding zone of image of each imager.Position to each imager is accurately adjusted, and accurately fills its corresponding target up to its image.Imager accurately moves, and up to the optimum Match that realizes test pattern along each seam, utilizes pixel to overlap and produces the seam between the image-region, step 733.Nine cameras are located along the seam of the image of adjacency, and observe seam, so that accurately confirm the amount of overlapping, step 735.Select a conduct in the seam crossing overlapping imager be used to the to make public leading imager of overlapping image-region, step 737.According to step 739, the boundary position of overlapping pixels is proofreaied and correct through the gray level of adjustment pixel.Each imager in these step array repeats step 741.
For many imagers embodiment; After having set up many imagers array; This array just can resemble the single imager and use, only if the part that imaging software must produce image according to which imager or which imager with image segmentation, abutment joint applies the exposure rule then.Step in the method for many imagers of use array under the situation of the present invention is explained in Figure 16 B.At first, according to step 743, the fabrication zone utilizes the imager array to be formed images.Then, imaging software according to the specific imager that produces fragment with image segmentation, step 745.This software applies the exposure rule to the seam that in alignment procedures, produces, and step 747 is to accomplish this method.Will be appreciated that many imagers array of the present invention also can be by adjustment to use with traditional stereolithography system, wherein radiation is used to solidify the construction material layer from the construction material container, each one deck.
Above-described embodiment comprises the modification of carrying out to increase image area in order to use with a plurality of imagers, can all be applicable to as combining Fig. 2,2A, 2B, 3 and the described semicontinuous operation of 3A.Semicontinuous operation all is useful in a lot of fields.Especially this two fields: the production of audiphone and be used for the production that orthodontic keeps the mould of equipment, some times have all been realized through solid state image in these two fields.
Figure 17 A, 17B and 17C have explained another kind of technology, and image shift is used for improving resolution ratio through the border being put into correct position.But image shift possibly need the border exposure of 8 to 10 displacements, to realize the above-mentioned level and smooth and precision of utilizing the pixel mixed method of gray level adjustment.Describe in the unsettled and U.S. Patent Application Serial Number of owning together 11/096,748 that image shift is to submit on April 1st, 2005 generally, the full content of this application is hereby incorporated by.Figure 17 A is at the 760 2x3 pel arrays explained from for example imager A, complete opening.Figure 17 B is at the 762 2x3 pel arrays explained from for example imager B, its image with respect to the image shift of imager A among Figure 17 A 1 pixel.Through the multiple barrier exposure, result such as Figure 17 C, Figure 17 C has explained the sub-pixel amount that has been shifted effectively of making public 764, is 1/2 pixel among Figure 17 C.
Turn to the discussion that the embodiment of the present invention of clean fabrication is provided lacking under the situation about peeling off with independent conveyor system now, Figure 18 A has explained not use to peel off to transmit and has brought the another embodiment of the present invention that produces clean fabrication.Figure 18 A has explained solid state image construction material 839,839 ' ink-jet source 837,837 '; They all can be identical or different materials, and, if expectation; They can be used to make the fabrication with multiple construction material, perhaps use the supporting construction with the fabrication different materials.The amount of the material that applies is reasonably even on the cross section, and is enough at least constitute the cross-sectional layers height, and ideally can be significantly more than this amount.When apply conveyer belt resemble shown in the rotation arrow during counterclockwise advancing; Ink-jet applies cross-sectional image that device can spray the solid state image material and is applied to first and applies conveyer belt 836; Be used for one deck coating material is put into conveyer belt, to be sent to the fabrication platform and to carry out the flash exposure.Will be appreciated that the system configuration of Figure 18 A becomes when conveyer belt 836 is coated, conveyer belt 836 ' is applied to the fabrication surface on the plane of delineation with its one deck construction material, when this conveyer belt runs into fabrication when surperficial, is rotated counterclockwise.
Apply conveyer belt and on the reciprocal support indicated like horizontal arrow among Figure 18 A and the 18B, move, this reciprocal support moves forward and backward, so that alternately apply each conveyer belt, and the conveyer belt after will applying is sent to the fabrication surface on the plane of delineation.As illustrated among Figure 18 B, that kind of conveyer belt 836 shown in direction arrow turns clockwise, and is applied to the fabrication on the plane of delineation with the direction of definite lip-deep construction material of fabrication and with construction material.Be similar to Fig. 1 E, apply conveyer belt 836,836 ' and as rotation arrow among Figure 18 A and the 18B is indicated, operate in complex way, thereby reduce relatively moving and reduce the possibility of air entrapment or damage fabrication between overlay and the fabrication.
In response to control system (not shown), ink-jet system produces and is configured in the solid-state image construction material in the image that will on fabrication, solidify on the conveyer belt.Therefore, in this embodiment, device need be from the focused radiation in source 822 not solidify the selected portions on the wet surface of fabrication.Replace, the suitable radiation that is used to the to solidify UV radiation of UV lamp (normally from) from flash exposure source 822 and reflector 822 ' irradiation entire image plane, produces the solid-state image layer of the expectation that does not have uncured construction material.The embodiment of Figure 18 A need not peeled off conveyer belt.
Figure 18 C and 18D have explained the precedence diagram that expands to a plurality of coating conveyer belt configurations of illustrated embodiment among Figure 18 A and the 18B.Will be appreciated that additional ink sprayer also can add each conveyer belt to.The coating conveyer belt 836 that will add " and 836 " ' incorporate in this system.Class of operation is similar to the operation of Figure 18 A and 18B, and support is reciprocal and conveyer belt is reciprocal, so that the conveyer belt that each is coated is put on the fabrication, this fabrication and be used for the flash exposure of image is used to form images.
Will be appreciated that the system of Figure 18 A can utilize the operation of single conveyer belt and ink sprayer, although for such common shown in Figure 18 A, 18B, 18C and 18D for the purpose of efficient and the versatility will use two or more, even only use a kind of construction material.It should also be appreciated that a plurality of set of the two or more parallel convey band system that is used for multiple material, the system of Figure 18 A, 18B, 18C and 18D can be similar to Fig. 7 that kind and be grouped together.The system of combination also can semi-continuously operate, resemble combine Fig. 2,2A, 2B, 3 and 3A described.
Figure 18 E has explained the method for operating that is used for Figure 18 A and 18B embodiment.According to step 866, reciprocal coating conveyer belt 836 is rotated counterclockwise, and is the identical direction of moving left with support of direction in this embodiment, so that conveyer belt is put on the ink sprayer 837,837 to pick up construction material 839 from the source.Be similar to abovely about the described mode of other embodiment, conveyer belt 836 is around wheel 840 rotation.Shown in Figure 18 B; Support squints to the right and conveyer belt turns clockwise, so that conveyer belt 836 and construction material 839 are put on the plane of delineation step 868; And construction material is sent to the fabrication surface; Step 870 does not relatively move, so air can not be detained and exquisite characteristic can not be destroyed.Lift 834 supports the fabrication on the fabrication pad 830 on the plane of delineation with elevator landing 832.According to step 872, radiation source 822 provides the flash exposure of solid state image radiation, and to solidify the construction material layer, wherein radiation source 822 generally is the UV lamp.
Support is reciprocal left, so that conveyer belt 836 is shifted out the plane of delineation, and step 874, and turn back to the position shown in Figure 18 A, apply once more.Will be appreciated that; Conveyer belt 836 ' is operated in the mirror image of conveyer belt 836, and when conveyer belt 836 picked up construction material, conveyer belt 836 ' was sent to the plane of delineation with construction material; And when conveyer belt 836 was sent to the plane of delineation with construction material, conveyer belt 836 ' picked up construction material.As indicated by preparing in advance through use, above step repeats second conveyer belt, and finally these steps all repeat repeatedly, so that accomplish fabrication, step 878.
Figure 19 A, 19B, 20A and 20B have explained the various combinations of embodiment discussed above.Figure 19 A and 19B are the precedence diagrams of Fig. 1 E device, it have been increased among Figure 18 A have the image coating conveyer belt 836 that ink-jet applies device 837.Therefore; As illustrated, this embodiment shows first and second transportation surfaces, is respectively applicator and stripper; And, make second transportation surface between first and second transportation surfaces from first transportation surface, the 3rd transportation surface relative with second transportation surface.Identical parts have identical label and operation is similar.Support will be applied to the fabrication 28 by imager 22 imagings from the coating that applies conveyer belt 36.Then, support is moved to the left, and peels off on the conveyer belt 56 so that unnecessary uncured construction material 59 removed to.Do not resemble the embodiment of Fig. 1 F, support further is moved to the left subsequently, so that apply the coating from ink-jet imaging device 837, it is imaged onto construction material on the imaging conveyer belt 836.Imager 22 is the imagers that can focus on, and its focal length is unessential for solidifying the image that is provided by ink-jet construction material source 837.There is no need the general exposure sources that provides independent, but because the focal imaging device can through shine all pixels or even do not shine all pixels and realize general exposure, as long as enough irradiations are provided.Will be appreciated that, imaging conveyer belt 836 should be respectively with apply and peel off conveyer belt 36 and 56 at identical height, and brush 45 (Fig. 1) can replace peeling off conveyer belt 36 or 56.
As illustrated, air knife 62 is fixed, and unnecessary uncured construction material 59 is not removed from peeling off conveyer belt 56, up to support conveyer belt back and forth is transmitted back to air knife.Equally, ink sprayer 837 is also fixed, and will form images conveyer belt when back and forth getting back to the ink-jet station when support, and imaging conveyer belt 836 is coated with image.The operation of Figure 20 A and 20B is similarly, and the rightmost applicator that replaces Fig. 4 with ink-jet and the image applicator of Figure 18 A is as among Figure 19 A.Will be appreciated that the operation and the identification of the embodiment of coating shown in Figure 4/peel off conveyer belt combination also are applicable to Figure 20 A and 20B.
The present invention is described with reference to preferred implementation especially.But, accompanying claims limit justice like purport of the present invention and scope described in the specification of front within, can change.
Claims (10)
1. the method that the two or more imagers in the imager assembly are provided is used to use the solid state image construction material with curing threshold energy to make three dimensional object, and this method comprises:
A. along at least one edge aligned image-region of the image-region of imager, wherein said image-region comprises the array of pixel;
B. produce the seam that overlaps and limited the pixel of two or more image-regions;
C. confirm the pixel overlapping amount of seam; And
D. comprise that through adjustment in (i) time for exposure of the pixel that pixel overlaps and the (ii) light intensity level at least one come boundary position of correction pixels overlapping.
2. the method for claim 1, wherein the boundary position that overlaps of correction pixels also comprises the gray level of adjustment and boundary position adjacent pixels.
3. method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the boundary position of correction pixels overlapping also comprises the optical system of adjusting imager, so that some of acquisition neighbor pixel are image blurring.
4. the method for claim 1 also comprises through measuring because the cumulative exposure that exposure caused of given pixel and neighbor pixel thereof is confirmed the pixel mixed characteristic of respective pixel position.
5. method as claimed in claim 4; Also comprise based on the irradiation time of said respective pixel and neighbor pixel thereof is calibrated the luminous intensity that is used for these pixels, make the expectation cumulative exposure of said given pixel position be enough to solidify the solid state image construction material at this some place.
6. the method for claim 1 is confirmed wherein that amount that pixel overlaps comprises to utilize at least one camera observes seam.
7. the method for claim 1 also comprises the leading imager that the pixel of selecting to be used to make public overlaps.
8. the method for claim 1 wherein produces seam and comprises through following steps and aim at imager:
A. on target, produce image-region, said image-region is divided into and the corresponding zone of the image-region of imager; And
B. adjust the position of imager, fill its corresponding target area up to image-region.
9. the method for claim 1, wherein the boundary position that overlaps of correction pixels comprises that also adjustment is by the focus level of projected pixels.
10. the method for claim 1, wherein the boundary position that overlaps of correction pixels also comprise lamp in the adjustment imager luminous intensity to the age.
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| US11/856,455 | 2007-09-17 | ||
| US11/856,455 US7706910B2 (en) | 2007-01-17 | 2007-09-17 | Imager assembly and method for solid imaging |
| PCT/US2007/087720 WO2008088642A2 (en) | 2007-01-17 | 2007-12-17 | Imager assembly and method for solid imaging |
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| CN101626881A CN101626881A (en) | 2010-01-13 |
| CN101626881B true CN101626881B (en) | 2012-11-14 |
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| CNA2008100034750A Pending CN101229686A (en) | 2007-01-17 | 2008-01-17 | Build pad, solid image build, and method for building build supports |
| CN2008100034746A Active CN101229685B (en) | 2007-01-17 | 2008-01-17 | Solid imaging apparatus and method |
| CN2008100034820A Active CN101229688B (en) | 2007-01-17 | 2008-01-17 | Solid imaging system with removal of excess uncured build material |
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| CNA2008100034750A Pending CN101229686A (en) | 2007-01-17 | 2008-01-17 | Build pad, solid image build, and method for building build supports |
| CN2008100034746A Active CN101229685B (en) | 2007-01-17 | 2008-01-17 | Solid imaging apparatus and method |
| CN2008100034820A Active CN101229688B (en) | 2007-01-17 | 2008-01-17 | Solid imaging system with removal of excess uncured build material |
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| FR3002168B1 (en) * | 2013-02-15 | 2016-12-23 | Michelin & Cie | PIECE OBTAINED BY SELECTIVE FUSION OF A POWDER COMPRISING A MAIN ELEMENT AND RIGID SECONDARY ELEMENTS |
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| CN101229688B (en) | 2012-05-23 |
| CN101229687A (en) | 2008-07-30 |
| CN101229687B (en) | 2011-09-07 |
| CN101229686A (en) | 2008-07-30 |
| CN101229685A (en) | 2008-07-30 |
| CN101229688A (en) | 2008-07-30 |
| CN101229685B (en) | 2012-05-16 |
| CN101626881A (en) | 2010-01-13 |
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