JP2021154713A - Head for printer and three-dimensional printer device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a head for a three-dimensional printer and a three-dimensional printer device capable of lineally irradiating irradiation light from a rod lens without gaps at beam intervals.SOLUTION: A head 10 for a printer comprises a light emission element array 20, in which respective light emission elements 21 are arranged at a prescribed pitch and rod lens arrays 30 arranged correspondingly to the light emission element array 20, in which light emitted from the respective light emission elements 21 of the light emission element array 20 is made incident on incidence planes 31, and light is emitted from emission planes 32 on the side opposite to the incidence planes 31, and the respective light emission elements 21 are arranged at a defocus position shifted from the focus position of the rod lens array 30 on the side of the incidence planes 31. Further, a three-dimensional printer device is composed using the head 10 for a printer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a printer head and a three-dimensional printer device.

Conventionally, a printer head using an LED and a rod lens array has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This printer head adjusts the position of the rod lens in the optical axis direction by performing arithmetic processing based on the unique focal length of the rod lens and the respective distances between the rod lens and the LED and the photoconductor. rice field. According to this, it is said that the imaging performance can be obtained without the need for adjustment and assembly as long as it is within the depth of focus of the rod lens.

Further, a liquid tank for accommodating the molding liquid, a glass layer arranged at the bottom of the liquid tank, a base film arranged above the glass layer, an irradiation unit arranged below the liquid tank, and light. A photocurable 3D printer including a molding stage for placing a molded product immersed in a curing liquid, a microprocessing unit, and an adjusting unit arranged on one side of a liquid tank has been proposed (for example,). , Patent Document 2). In this photocurable 3D printer, the base film is connected to the adjustment unit on one side and the other side to the adjustment unit of the liquid tank, and the microprocessing unit is the base when the molded product is cured. The adjustment unit is reset and controlled so as to pull the film, and the print layer is cured to form a three-dimensional object.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-205673 JP-A-2019-51694

However, when a printer head having a configuration as described in Patent Document 1 is combined with a photocurable 3D printer having a configuration as described in Patent Document 2 for three-dimensional modeling, the beam diameter is too narrowed and resin exposure between beams is performed. There was a problem that the image was not removed and uneven exposure may occur.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a printer head and a three-dimensional printer device capable of irradiating light emitted from a rod lens linearly without gaps between beams.

[1] In the present invention, a light emitting element array in which each light emitting element is arranged at a predetermined pitch and a light emitted from each light emitting element of the light emitting element array arranged corresponding to the light emitting element array are incident surfaces. A rod lens array, which is incident on the incident surface and emits the light from an emitting surface opposite to the incident surface, constitutes a printer head, and each light emitting element is formed on the incident surface side of the rod. Provided is a head for a printer, which is arranged at a defocus position deviated from the focal position of a lens array.
[2] The defocus position may be a position closer to the light emitting element than the focal position of the rod lens array.
[3] The present invention comprises the printer head according to the above [1] or [2], a liquid tank containing a photocurable liquid that is cured by the light emitted from the printer head, and a liquid tank that is cured by the light. A platform to which the formed molded product adheres, a Z-direction stage portion capable of moving and adjusting the platform in the height direction Z, which is the direction in which the liquid level moves up and down with respect to the photocurable liquid in the liquid tank, and the above. The Y-direction stage unit that allows the printer head to be moved and adjusted in the sub-scanning direction Y that is orthogonal to the main scanning direction X and the height direction Z, which are the directions in which the light emitting elements of the light emitting element array are arranged, and the printer. An optical output control unit that controls the light output of each light emitting element of the head, a height direction control unit that controls the movement adjustment in the height direction Z, and a subscan that controls the movement adjustment in the subscan direction Y. A control unit having a direction control unit and a three-dimensional printer device having the direction control unit are provided.
[4] The printer head may be set so that the beam diameter of the light emitted from the rod lens array is the distance between the light emitting elements of the light emitting element array on the liquid surface of the liquid tank. ..
[5] Further, the optical output control unit performs a main scanning operation of causing each light emitting element to emit light linearly in the main scanning direction X, and the sub-scanning direction control unit performs each time the main scanning operation is completed. The printer head is moved in the sub-scanning direction Y by a predetermined amount, and the height direction control unit performs the sub-scanning operation in the height direction Z each time the molding of each layer in the Z direction is completed. The height direction operation that moves the Z direction stage portion by a predetermined amount may be performed.

According to the present invention, the light emitted from the rod lens can irradiate the light linearly without a gap at the beam interval.

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional perspective view showing the overall configuration of a printer head and a three-dimensional printer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration and a control unit of the three-dimensional printer device shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the A direction. FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a set distance between the light emitting element of the printer head and the rod lens array according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3B is a diagram showing the distance between the light emitting element and the rod lens array. It is a figure which shows the comparative example which set the focal length. FIG. 4 is a relationship diagram in which the horizontal axis represents the distance between the laser element and the rod lens array and the vertical axis represents the beam diameter. FIG. 5A is a beam photographing image showing the beam diameter when the distance between the laser element and the rod lens array is set to the focal position (13.8 mm), and FIG. 5B is the laser element and the rod lens. It is a beam-photographed image showing the beam diameter when the distance of the array is set to the position of 11.8 mm, which is closer to the focal position f by 2 mm. FIG. 5C shows the distance between the laser element and the rod lens array as the focal position. It is a beam-photographed image which shows the beam diameter at the time of setting at the position of 9.8 mm which is closer to 4 mm than f. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the three-dimensional printer device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[First Embodiment]
(Configuration of Printer Head 10)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the printer head 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention has a light emitting element array 20 in which each light emitting element 21 is arranged at a predetermined pitch and an arrangement corresponding to the light emitting element array 20. The rod lens array 30 is provided with a rod lens array 30 in which light emitted from each light emitting element 21 of the light emitting element array 20 is incident on the incident surface 31 and light is emitted from an emitting surface 32 on the side opposite to the incident surface 31. Each light emitting element 21 is arranged at a defocus position deviated from the focal position of the rod lens array 30 on the incident surface 31 side. The light emitting element array 20 and the rod lens array 30 are both fixed to the housing 70 to form an assembly in the above positional relationship.

(Light emitting element array 20)
As shown in FIG. 2, in the light emitting element array 20, each light emitting element 21 is mounted and arranged on the substrate 25 at a predetermined pitch. The substrate 25 is fixed to the housing 70. The light emitting elements 21 are arranged in an array on the substrate 25 at a predetermined pitch, for example, 120 μm. The light emitting elements 21 can be arranged side by side by the required width in the main scanning direction.

As each light emitting element 21, a laser element having a predetermined wavelength can be used. The predetermined wavelength can be various wavelengths such as ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared, but in the present embodiment, the light emitting element 21 uses an ultraviolet light laser element. Each light emitting element 21 is preferably a laser having coherent property and capable of increasing the output. Each light emitting element 21 is connected to an optical output control unit 330 that controls the light output of each light emitting element 21, and irradiates light linearly in the main scanning direction X.

(Rod lens array 30)
The rod lens array 30 is an array-like optical system in which a large number of rod-shaped rod lenses are arranged in parallel and an erecting equal-magnification image by each rod lens is superposed to form one continuous image as a whole. In the present embodiment, as the rod lens array 30, a Selfock (registered trademark) lens array in which a large number of refractive index distribution type lenses are arranged to form one continuous image as a whole is used.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the rod lens array 30 has a light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) when the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) is arranged at a position (focal length) at a focal length f from the incident surface 31 of the rod lens array 30. The laser beam L emitted from the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) is imaged at a position (focal position) at a focal length f from the light emitting surface 32 of the rod lens array 30. With such a configuration, the beam diameter of the laser beam L may be too narrowed so that resin exposure between the beams may not be performed.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3A, the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) is arranged at a defocus position deviated from the focal position of the rod lens array 30 on the incident surface 31 side. It is composed of. This defocus position is closer to the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) than the focal position of the rod lens array 30.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3A, the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) is the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element) rather than the position (focal position) of the focal length f from the incident surface 31 of the rod lens array 30. It is arranged at a distance d1 close to 21).

As shown in FIG. 3A, the laser beam L emitted from the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) is imaged at a distance d2 from the emission surface 32 of the rod lens array 30. The image formation at this distance d2 is not as small in beam diameter as the image formation at the focal position shown in FIG. 3 (b). This distance d2 is a distance at which the beam diameter extends to the beam interval between the light emitting elements 21.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) and the rod lens array 30 are fixed to the housing 70 in the above-mentioned positional relationship with the assembly. The printer head 10 is configured.

As described above, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5A, the distance between the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) and the rod lens array 30 is such that the beam diameter is too narrow at the focal position and the resin between the beams. Since there is a possibility that the (photocurable liquid) will not be exposed, set the distance so that the beam diameter is closer than the focal position. By setting the distance between the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) and the rod lens array 30 to the defocus position from the beginning, the light emitted from the rod lens array 30 is linearly laser-beamed at the image formation position without any gap at the beam interval. L can be irradiated. Since the resin (photocurable liquid) can be irradiated with light without gaps, uneven exposure can be prevented.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 (b), the rod lens array 30 is closer to the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) than the position (focal length) of the focal length f from the incident surface 31. Place at a distance d1 (11.8 mm). That is, by setting the defocus position to a position of 11.8 mm closer to the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) than the focal position of the rod lens array 30, the periphery of the light emitting element 21 incident on the rod lens array 30 is set. Light eclipse can be reduced and light loss can be reduced. This makes it possible to increase the laser output efficiency on the exit side of the rod lens array 30.

(Example)
(1) For example, when the distance between the light emitting element array 21 and the rod lens array 30 is the focal length (when 13.8 mm), the output of the light emitting element 21 is increased in order to make the laser output emitted from the rod lens array 30 5 mW. It needs to be 36 mW, and the loss of light is large.
(2) One of the causes of light loss is that less light enters the lens. The semiconductor laser beam has a conical spread, but when the focal length is 13.8 mm away, it spreads vertically up to 5.4 mm in the Farfield pattern (FFP).
(3) As shown in FIG. 4, if the distance between the light emitting element 21 and the rod lens array 30 is reduced, the spread is reduced and the amount of light entering the rod lens array 30 is increased. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 (b), it becomes 10% brighter when approached to 11.8 mm, and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 (c), it becomes 20% brighter when approached to 9.8 mm. However, in the present embodiment, since the distance between the light emitting elements is 120 μm and the beam diameter is larger than the distance between the elements, accurate light irradiation cannot be performed due to a decrease in resolution or the like. Therefore, between the light emitting element 21 and the rod lens array 30. It was confirmed that the uptake amount can be increased by 10% or more by approaching the distance to 11.2 mm so that the light emission measure interval is 120 μm.

[Second Embodiment]
(Configuration of 3D Printer Device 100)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the 3D printer device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention contains a printer head 10 and a photocurable liquid that is cured by light emitted from the printer head 10. The tank 110, the platform 200 to which the molded product cured by light adheres, and the platform 200 in the height direction Z in which the liquid surface 115a moves up and down with respect to the photocurable liquid 115 of the liquid tank 110. The printer head 10 is moved in the sub-scanning direction Y orthogonal to the main scanning direction X and the height direction Z, which are the directions in which the movement-adjustable Z-direction stage unit 210 and the light-emitting elements 21 of the light-emitting element array 20 are arranged. An adjustable Y-direction stage unit 220, an optical output control unit 330 that controls the light output of each light emitting element 21 of the printer head 10, a height direction control unit 310 that controls movement adjustment in the height direction Z, and A control unit 300 having a sub-scanning direction control unit 320 that controls movement adjustment of the sub-scanning direction Y, and a control unit 300. The three-dimensional printer device 100 selectively cures the photocurable liquid three-dimensionally by the printer head 10, the Z-direction stage portion 210, and the Y-direction stage portion 220. As a result, a three-dimensionally cured object is formed to realize a three-dimensional print.

(Liquid tank 110)
As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid tank 110 is roughly composed of an accommodating portion 111 and a main body portion 112. The accommodating portion 111 is a recess for accommodating the photocurable liquid 115. The liquid level 115a of the photocurable liquid 115 housed in the accommodating portion 111 is the imaging position of the laser beam L emitted from the rod lens array 30.

Here, the photocurable liquid 115 is a liquid photocurable resin, and the photocurable resin is a resin that is polymerized and cured by light having a specific wavelength. The wavelength range in which the polymerization reaction of the photocurable resin occurs is from the long wavelength range side to the short wavelength range in the order of infrared rays, visible rays, and ultraviolet rays. In the present embodiment, since the laser wavelength of the light emitting element 21 to be used is ultraviolet light, a resin that is cured by this ultraviolet wavelength is selected. For example, an epoxy resin or an acrylic resin can be used as an example of a photocurable resin corresponding to ultraviolet light.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the main body portion 112 is a base portion on which the Z-direction stage portion 210, the Y-direction stage portion 220, and the like are mounted. The main body 112 is made of a material that has sufficient rigidity to serve as a base for each stage and that can stably contain the photocurable liquid 115 that is a liquid. As an example of the main body 112, iron-based, copper-based metal, or the like can be used.

(Adjustment of printer head 10)
In the present embodiment, as described in the first embodiment, the distance from the exit surface 32 of the rod lens array 30 of the printer head 10 to the liquid level 115a is defined as the distance d2. This distance d2 is a distance at which the beam diameter extends to the beam interval between the light emitting elements 21. That is, the printer head 10 is set so that the beam diameter of the light emitted from the rod lens array 30 is the distance between the light emitting elements 21 of the light emitting element array 20 at the liquid level 115a of the liquid tank 110. ..

As shown in FIG. 2, in the printer head 10, the Z-direction adjusting unit (not shown) has a liquid level from the exit surface 32 of the rod lens array 30 of the printer head 10 as described in the first embodiment. Adjust so that the distance to 115a is the distance d2. This adjustment is performed at the time of initial setting of the three-dimensional printer device 100. Further, it can be executed at any time when the liquid level 115a changes.

(Z-direction stage portion 210)
The height of the Z-direction stage portion 210 is such that the platform 200 to which the molded product formed by curing by light adheres and the liquid level 115a of the platform 200 moves up and down with respect to the photocurable liquid 115 of the liquid tank 110. It is configured as a stage unit that can be moved and adjusted in the direction Z. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the platform 200 and the Z-direction stage portion 210 are arranged in the liquid tank 110.

Z direction stage 210, as shown in FIG. 2, illustration is omitted Z drive unit is connected to the control unit 300, the control signal S movement of _Z by the height direction Z, adjustment is performed.

(Y-direction stage portion 220)
The Y-direction stage unit 220 is a stage unit that can be moved and adjusted in the sub-scanning direction Y that is orthogonal to the main scanning direction X and the height direction Z, which are the directions in which the light emitting elements 21 of the light emitting element array 20 are arranged. As shown in FIG. 1, the Y-direction stage portion 220 is attached to the main body portion 112 of the liquid tank 110 so that the printer head 10 can be moved in the sub-scanning direction Y. As a result, the Y-direction stage unit 220 moves the printer head 10 in the sub-scanning direction Y, and irradiates the liquid surface 115a with a two-dimensional image together with the linear output of the laser beam L in the main scanning direction X. can do.

Y direction stage 220, as shown in FIG. 2, illustration is omitted Y driver is connected to the control unit 300, the movement in the sub-scanning direction Y, an adjustment is performed by the control signal S _Y.

(Control unit 300)
As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 300 includes a height direction control unit 310, a sub-scanning direction control unit 320, an optical output control unit 330, and a 3D data unit 350. The control unit 300 is, for example, a micro composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs calculations, processing, etc. on the acquired data according to a program, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that is a semiconductor memory, a ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like. It is a computer. The RAM is used, for example, as a storage area for temporarily storing the calculation result and the like. Further, the control unit 300 has an interface unit and the like for signal input / output processing.

(Height direction control unit 310)
The height direction control unit 310 moves the platform 200 in the height direction Z by a predetermined amount by driving the Z direction stage unit 210 each time the molding of each layer in the height direction Z is completed. To do. The height direction control unit 310 outputs the control signal S _Z to the Z direction stage unit 210 to perform movement and adjustment in the height direction Z. The height direction control unit 310 can detect the position information of the Z direction stage unit 210 and control the position of the Z direction stage unit 210 in the height direction Z.

The height direction control unit 310 moves the platform 200 in the height direction Z (downward direction shown in FIG. 2). The height direction control unit 310 grows a formation (modeled object) adhering to the platform 200 by lowering the platform 200 downward according to 3D data each time the molding of each layer in the height direction Z is completed. Can be done.

The height direction control unit 310 controls the printer head 10 to be moved downward by a predetermined movement amount ΔZ in the height direction Z by driving the Z direction stage unit 210 during three-dimensional printing. This predetermined movement amount ΔZ corresponds to the increment of each Z data of the slice data described later.

By driving the Z-direction stage unit 210, the height direction control unit 310 sequentially moves the printer head 10 downward by a predetermined movement amount ΔZ from the initial position (height direction Z) of the printer head 10. Move to. This downward movement control is executed every time the two-dimensional image formation is completed by the movement of the printer head 10 in the sub-scanning direction Y and the linear output of the laser beam L in the main scanning direction X.

The position control of the Z-direction stage unit 210 by the height direction control unit 310 may be open control in which the Z-direction stage unit 210 is sequentially moved by the predetermined movement amount ΔZ described above, or the Z position of the Z-direction stage unit 210. The position may be controlled by feeding back the closed control.

(Sub-scanning direction control unit 320)
The sub-scanning direction control unit 320 moves the printer head 10 in the sub-scanning direction Y by a predetermined amount each time the main scanning operation of causing each light emitting element 21 to emit light linearly in the main scanning direction X is completed. To do. The sub-scanning direction control unit 320 outputs the control signal S _Y to the Y-direction stage unit 220 to move and adjust the sub-scanning direction Y in the sub-scanning direction Y. The sub-scanning direction control unit 320 can detect the position information of the Y-direction stage unit 220 and control the position of the Y-direction stage unit 220 in the sub-scanning direction Y.

The sub-scanning direction control unit 320 moves the printer head 10 in the sub-scanning direction Y and adjusts it to a predetermined Y initial position. As a result, the initial position (secondary scanning direction Y) of the printer head 10 in the three-dimensional printer device 100 can be set.

During three-dimensional printing, the sub-scanning direction control unit 320 controls the printer head 10 to be moved in the sub-scanning direction Y by a predetermined movement amount ΔY by driving the Y-direction stage unit 220. This predetermined movement amount ΔY corresponds to the increment of each Y data of the slice data described later.

By driving the Y-direction stage unit 220, the sub-scanning direction control unit 320 sequentially scans the printer head 10 by a predetermined movement amount ΔY from the initial position (sub-scanning direction Y) of the printer head 10 described above. Move in direction Y. This movement control in the sub-scanning direction Y is executed every time the laser beam L is linearly irradiated in the main scanning direction X to complete the image formation in the main scanning direction.

The position control of the Y-direction stage unit 220 by the sub-scanning direction control unit 320 may be open control in which the Y-direction stage unit 220 is sequentially moved by the predetermined movement amount ΔY, or the Y position of the Y-direction stage unit 220. The position may be controlled by feeding back the closed control.

(Optical output control unit 330)
The optical output control unit 330 performs a main scanning operation in which each light emitting element 21 emits light linearly in the main scanning direction X. The light output control unit 330 controls the light output value (light emitting power) of each light emitting element 21 of the light emitting element array 20. That is, the optical output control unit 330 mainly sets a predetermined optical amplitude value (optical peak value) or a pulse width of a drive signal that defines a light emission time to a predetermined amount based on the optical output value data. Control is performed to emit a linear laser beam L in the scanning direction X.

In the present embodiment, the light emission power of each light emitting element 21 is controlled by controlling the light amplitude value (light peak value) to be constant by APC (Automatic Power Control) and controlling the pulse width of the drive signal to control the light output. Do it. The light output control in the main scanning direction X controls the light output at each X position based on the 3D data to be molded, so that a desired linear laser beam L is emitted to the printer head 10.

(3D data unit 350)
The 3D data unit 350 prepares the three-dimensional shape formed by the three-dimensional printer device 100 as three-dimensional data. The 3D data unit 350 includes X, Y, Z coordinate data, and 3D data having an optical output value at each coordinate as 3D model data for executing 3D printing on the 3D printer device 100. This 3D data may be created externally and input to the control unit 300, or may be created by the 3D data unit 350.

3D data unit 350 is, for example, the 3D model was sliced in a Z direction, to create a slice data from _{Z 0} to _{Z n.} This slice data is data for each one layer in 3D printing. The slice data Z _i (i is an integer from 0 to n) is composed of a data string of an X coordinate value, a Y coordinate value, and an optical output value at the _{height position Z i.} As an example, the X coordinate value at the height position Z _i value defined by the pitch of the light emitting element array 20, Y-coordinate value is a value defined by the resolution of the predetermined movement amount ΔY in the Y-direction stage 220, It can be Y _j (j is an integer from 0 to m). Further, the light output value at the height position Z _i can be X-coordinate value, the pulse width of the drive signal in the Y-coordinate values.

(Operation of 3D printer device 100)
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the three-dimensional printer device according to the embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the operation of the three-dimensional printer device 100 will be described based on this.

(Step1)
The control unit 300 prepares 3D data in the 3D data unit 350. The 3D data is a three-dimensional data formed by the three-dimensional shape formed by the three-dimensional printer device 100, and is created externally and input to the control unit 300, or created by the 3D data unit 350.

(Step2)
The control unit 300 sets i = 0 in the height direction control unit 310.

(Step3)
Height direction control unit 310, by outputting a control signal S _Z in Z direction stage 210 to move the platform 200 in the height direction Z _i, to adjust the distance between the liquid surface 115a at a predetermined distance .. Note that i is an integer from 0 to n, and when i = 0, the initial position (height position Z ₀ ) of the printer head 10 in the three-dimensional printer device 100 is set.

(Step4)
The control unit 300 sets j = 0 in the sub-scanning direction control unit 320.

(Step 5)
The sub-scanning direction control unit 320 moves the printer head 10 in the sub-scanning direction Y _{j by outputting the control signal SY} to the Y-direction stage unit 220. Note that j is an integer from 0 to m, and when j = 0, the initial position (secondary scanning direction Y ₀ ) of the printer head 10 in the three-dimensional printer device 100 is set.

(Step 6)
The control unit 300 outputs light in the main scanning direction X by the light output control unit 330. That is, the optical output control unit 330 outputs a control signal S _X to the printer head 10, by emitting linearly in the main scanning direction X of the light-emitting elements 21, a laser beam L to the liquid surface 115a do. Since the photocurable liquid 115 in the liquid tank 110 is a photocurable resin that cures in response to the laser light L, the resin liquid in the region irradiated with the laser light L (the range of the beam diameter) is cured. The cured molded product adheres to the platform 200.

(Step7)
The control unit 300 determines whether or not _{Y j} = Y _m. If Y _j = Y _m , the process proceeds to Step 8 (Step 7: Yes), and if Y _j = Y _m , the process returns to Step 5 as j = j + 1 (Step 7: No). When Y _j = Y _m , it means that the print molding of the i-th layer was completed. If Y _j = Y _m , the print molding of the i-th layer is continued.

(Step 8)
The control unit 300 determines whether or not _{Z i} = Z _n. If Z _i = Z _n , the process proceeds to Step 9 (Step 8: Yes), and if Z _i = Z _n , the process returns to Step 3 as i = i + 1 (Step 8: No). If Z _i = Z _n , the next layer (i + 1) is formed.

(Step 9)
Since the three-dimensional shape of the three-dimensional data is completed by the cured photocurable resin by the three-dimensional printer device 100, the three-dimensional model formed by adhering to the platform 200 is separated and completed.

(Effects of the 3D printer head and the 3D printer device according to the embodiment)
According to the three-dimensional printer head and the three-dimensional printer device of the present embodiment, the following effects are obtained.
(1) The printer head 10 according to the first embodiment has a light emitting element array 20 in which each light emitting element 21 is arranged at a predetermined pitch and a light emitting element array 20 arranged corresponding to the light emitting element array 20. Each of the light emitting elements 21 has a rod lens array 30 in which the light emitted from each of the light emitting elements 21 of the above is incident on the incident surface 31 and the light is emitted from the emitting surface 32 on the opposite side of the incident surface 31. It is configured to be arranged at a defocus position deviated from the focal position of the rod lens array 30 on the incident surface 31 side. By setting the distance between the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) and the rod lens array 30 to the defocus position from the beginning, the light emitted from the rod lens array 30 is linearly laser-beamed at the image formation position without any gap at the beam interval. L can be irradiated. Since the resin (photocurable liquid) can be irradiated with light without gaps, uneven exposure can be prevented. Further, by setting the defocus position to be closer to the light emitting element array 20 (light emitting element 21) than the focal position of the rod lens array 30, the peripheral light of the light emitting element 21 incident on the rod lens array 30 is dispelled. Can be reduced and the loss of light can be reduced. This makes it possible to increase the laser output efficiency on the exit side of the rod lens array 30.
(2) The three-dimensional printer device 100 according to the second embodiment is a three-dimensional printer device using the printer head 10 shown above. Therefore, since the light emitted from the rod lens array 30 can irradiate the laser beam L linearly at the imaging position without any gap at the beam interval, it is possible to produce a modeled object having a formed three-dimensional shape with good surface accuracy.
(3) Arrange the light sources in an array In a material such as liquid resin where the facing surface of the printer is stationary and does not cause unevenness, the distance between the light source and the lens is fixed, and the distance between the lens and the liquid surface is set from the focal position. Focus adjustment becomes unnecessary by adjusting the distance between the lights in an array and exposing the liquid surface. In addition, by designing a combination of an array light source and a bar-shaped lens such as a Selfock lens array to irradiate light linearly, it is possible to solve the slow modeling speed when irradiating with a point light source. can. In the present embodiment, since it is not necessary to move the imaging optical system to adjust the focus as in the conventional case, the operation is fast because there is no complicated calculation and adjustment for forming an image, and the light is irradiated linearly. Therefore, the molding speed of the resin is high. Further, since the distance between the light emitting surface and the irradiation target is constant, the calculation for imaging becomes unnecessary. Further, by using the rod lens array, the element spacing for creating a linear light source can be narrowed, and the number of beams can be increased from several hundreds to several thousand, so that the modeling speed can be increased.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be carried out within a range that does not deviate from the gist of the invention. Moreover, the above-described embodiment does not limit the invention according to the claims. It should also be noted that not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention.

10 ... printer head, 20 ... light emitting element array, 21 ... light emitting element, 25 ... substrate, 30 ... rod lens array, 31 ... incident surface, 32 ... emitting surface, 70 ... housing, 100 ... 3D printer device, 110 ... Liquid tank, 111 ... Accommodating part, 112 ... Main body part, 115 ... Photocurable liquid, 115a ... Liquid level, 200 ... Platform, 210 ... Z direction stage part, 220 ... Y direction stage part, 300 ... Control unit, 310 ... Height direction control unit, 320 ... Sub-scanning direction control unit, 330 ... Optical output control unit, 350 ... 3D data unit, L ... Laser light, X ... Main scanning direction, Y ... Sub-scanning direction, Z ... Height direction

Claims (5)

A light emitting element array in which each light emitting element is arranged at a predetermined pitch,
A rod lens array arranged corresponding to the light emitting element array, in which light emitted from each light emitting element of the light emitting element array is incident on an incident surface, and the light is emitted from an emitting surface opposite to the incident surface. And have
A printer head in which each of the light emitting elements is arranged at a defocus position deviated from the focal position of the rod lens array on the incident surface side. The printer head whose defocus position is closer to the light emitting element than the focal position of the rod lens array. The printer head according to claim 1 or 2,
A liquid tank containing a photocurable liquid that is cured by the light emitted from the printer head, and
A platform to which a molded product cured by the light adheres, and a Z whose liquid level can be moved and adjusted in the height direction Z, which is the direction in which the liquid level moves up and down with respect to the photocurable liquid in the liquid tank. Directional stage part and
A Y-direction stage unit that allows the printer head to be moved and adjusted in a sub-scanning direction Y that is orthogonal to the main scanning direction X and the height direction Z, which are the directions in which the light emitting elements of the light emitting element array are arranged.
An optical output control unit that controls the light output of each light emitting element of the printer head, a height direction control unit that controls movement adjustment in the height direction Z, and movement adjustment control in the sub-scanning direction Y are performed. A control unit having a sub-scanning direction control unit and
3D printer device. 3. The printer head is set so that the beam diameter of the light emitted from the rod lens array is the distance between the light emitting elements of the light emitting element array on the liquid surface of the liquid tank. 3D printer device according to. The optical output control unit performs a main scanning operation of causing each light emitting element to emit light linearly in the main scanning direction X, and the sub-scanning direction control unit performs the sub-scanning direction each time the main scanning operation is completed. A sub-scanning operation is performed to move the printer head to Y by a predetermined amount, and the height direction control unit moves the Z direction stage unit in the height direction Z each time the molding of each layer in the Z direction is completed. The three-dimensional printer device according to claim 3 or 4, which operates in the height direction to move by a predetermined amount.

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