JPH0872153A - Optical shaping apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a low cost optical shaping apparatus simplified in the supply of an inexpensive exposure system not requiring strict exposure output control. CONSTITUTION: An optical shaping apparatus is equipped with a coating nozzle 31 forming an uncured material L1 on a transparent feed film 11, an exposure means 50 selectively exposing the material layer L1 on the film 11 from below, a transparent drawing substrate 25 supporting the film 11 and the material layer L1 from below while allowing exposure light to transmit, a shaping base 41 approaching the substrate 25 from above to separate therefrom and means 14, 21 moving the curved region of the film 11 by the roller 14 engaged with the film 11 and laminating the material layer Ll to the rear surface of the shaping base 41 or separating the uncured material layer Lr supported on the feed film 11 from the shaping base 41 in the periphery of a cured layer L2. The coating nozzle 31 can be placed on the feed film 11 so as to relatively move with respect to the film 11 and the exposure means 50 can be constituted of a light source lamp 51 and a unit 52 forming a mask on the rear surface of the substrate 25.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stereolithography apparatus, and more specifically, to an unexposed material layer containing a photocurable resin (a resin having a property of being cured by light), which is cured by exposing it one layer at a time. The present invention relates to a device that is sequentially laminated on a device to form a three-dimensional object.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a device capable of easily forming a complex three-dimensional object such as a model or a model at the time of approximation and product development, a three-dimensional object (three-dimensional object) is formed by using a photo-curing resin. Attention has been paid to a stereolithography device. This device is configured to selectively expose a material layer of a predetermined layer thickness to cure it into a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of a three-dimensional object to be molded, and stack material layers in sequence on top of it to perform exposure curing, 3D CA
Various proposals have been made to create shape data of each layer to be laminated by using a technique such as D, and to control selective exposure and automate the lamination operation based on the data.

As a conventional stereolithography apparatus of this type, for example, there is one described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-227222. With this device, the liquid level of the molding tank that stores the low-viscosity photocurable resin liquid is scanned with coherent light (laser light) in the ultraviolet region, and the photocurable resin near the liquid level is exposed and cured to a prescribed shape. To form a single hardened layer. The hardened layer is submerged in a molding tank, and the material layer spread on the hardened layer by the flow of the uncured resin liquid is used as the next material. The layers are laminated by being exposed to each other while adhering to the lower cured layer.

Further, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2-11331 discloses that
A molding container, a base that approaches and separates from the transparent window from the inner side thereof, and a photocurable resin that selectively irradiates light to the photocurable resin liquid between the base and the transparent window through the transparent window. A light emitting unit that cures the liquid in a predetermined pattern to a substantially constant layer thickness,
It is described that the molding base is provided with the elevator separated from the transparent window by the layer thickness and an elevator for allowing an uncured photocurable resin of the next layer to flow between the cured layer and the transparent window. In this device, since the exposed surface is regulated to be flat, it is possible to suppress variations in the thickness of the cured layer, and it is not necessary to immerse the formed cured layer in the uncured photocurable resin liquid, which is expensive. Various photo-curing resins can be used efficiently.

Each of the above-mentioned devices dips the cured layer in the uncured resin liquid in the molding tank, but unlike these,
A relatively high-viscosity (eg gel) photo-curable resin is spread in advance into a film to form a single uncured layer, and this uncured layer is placed on the cured layer that is not immersed in the uncured resin liquid. There is also proposed a so-called single-layer supply method in which the material is conveyed and exposed and cured.

[0006]

However, the conventional stereolithography apparatus of the so-called dipping and feeding system, in which the hardened layer is dipped in the uncured resin liquid in the molding tank to form the uncured material layer, is not yet known. When the free liquid surface of the cured resin liquid is exposed (the exposed surface is not regulated), it is difficult to form a stable uncured material layer with a constant layer thickness, and not only the molding accuracy cannot be improved. However, there is a problem that the resin material in the molding tank is easily deteriorated or contaminated, and the molding cost is increased. Further, when the exposed surface is regulated to be flat by adopting a light-transmitting window, it is not easy to peel off the cured layer on the light-transmitting window that has been cured by exposure from the light-transmitting window. There is a problem that the cured layer that has been cured into a predetermined pattern shape is damaged.

Furthermore, in all the above-mentioned conventional apparatuses including the above-mentioned single-layer supply type stereolithography apparatus, the lower layer (the layer including the partially exposed and cured portion) remains uncured. Since the uncured material is not cured during the exposure of the next upper layer, the exposure output cannot be increased, and the exposure amount per unit area of the exposed surface needs to be uniformly controlled. Therefore, it is not possible to adopt a simple exposure system such as an exposure lamp in order to obtain a certain degree of modeling accuracy,
The exposure control had to be rather complicated because an expensive exposure optical system using a laser scanning device was required, and the whole was exposed again with strong light after laminating a relatively soft cured layer. So-called post cure for curing has become essential. Alternatively, in order to simplify the exposure system, after removing the uncured material remaining in the lower layer, a support material layer that is not cured by exposure is formed around the cured layer in place of this, and the support material layer is used to The troublesome work of exposing the upper layer while supporting the uncured material layer has been required.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and it is possible to easily and surely separate the exposure-cured portion and the photocurable material portion for each exposure of each layer, so that the molding base side can be easily separated. It is a first object of the present invention to provide a low-cost stereolithography apparatus that employs an inexpensive exposure system that does not require strict exposure output control, with almost no uncured material remaining.

A second object of the present invention is to realize an inexpensive coating means capable of forming an uncured material layer containing a photocurable resin and having a constant layer thickness with high accuracy, and further, a main component. The third purpose is to realize a cheaper exposure means by making the mask multi-functional, and furthermore, by using the operation for separating the exposure-cured portion and the photo-curable material portion, the mask at the time of exposure is quickly A fourth object is to realize an inexpensive mask forming means that can be formed with high precision by.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 has a flexible transport film made of a substantially transparent strip that transmits light, and a light transport film on the transport film. Material layer coating means for coating and forming an uncured material layer having a constant layer thickness made of an uncured material containing a curable resin, and moving the transport film in a predetermined material transport direction to transport the uncured material layer A film moving means for carrying the film, and selectively exposing the uncured material layer through the carrying film in a predetermined moving section of the carrying film to form a predetermined shape in the uncured material layer in the predetermined moving section. During the exposure of the cured layer and the exposure of the uncured material layer by the exposure means, the transfer film and the uncured material layer located in the predetermined movement section are transmitted while transmitting the light used for the exposure. A substantially transparent support plate that supports the lower part of the film, and a support plate that faces the uncured material layer above the transport film in the predetermined movement section and that is relatively close to and away from the support plate. And a shaping base provided substantially parallel to, and an engaging member that engages the transport film in the vicinity of the predetermined movement section, and bends the transport film on the downstream side of the engaging member downward, By moving the engaging member, the curved portion of the transport film is reciprocated in a movement direction substantially parallel to the modeling base, and when moving the curved portion of the transport film to one side, the curved surface of the transport film is moved to the lower surface side of the modeling base. When the uncured material layer is laminated and the curved portion of the transport film is moved to the other side, the periphery of the cured layer fixed to the modeling base side by the exposure. Laminating means for separating the uncured material layer supported by the transport film together with the transport film from the modeling base side, the invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The layer coating means has a coating nozzle that is placed on the transport film and is restricted from moving in the material transport direction, and the coating nozzle stores the uncured material. And a material coating portion which is provided on the downstream side in the material transport direction with respect to the material storage portion and forms a substantially slit-shaped gap extending in the width direction of the transport film between the upper surface of the transport film and the material coating portion, A material passage in which the widthwise dimension of the conveying film is substantially the same as the slit-like gap between the upper surface of the conveying film and the passage cross-sectional area is large on the material accommodating portion side and small on the slit-like gap side. And a passage forming portion provided between the material containing portion and the material coating portion so as to form a.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the exposure means emits light from the lower side of the support plate to the upper side, and the molding base is substantially parallel to the lower surface of the support plate. Forming a mask for selectively forming a light-shielding mask on the lower surface of the support plate when moving to one side, and removing the light-shielding mask from the lower surface of the support plate when moving to the other side. The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the laminating means moves in a direction substantially parallel to the modeling base while supporting the engaging member and the support plate. The mask forming unit of the exposure means is supported by the moving table so that the mask forming unit of the exposing means moves relatively to the supporting plate in a moving direction substantially parallel to the modeling base. And it is characterized in that is.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the material layer coating means has a material supply container for supplying an uncured material to the coating nozzle through a supply port having a predetermined diameter, and the supply port of the material supply container. Is facing downward and is positioned at a predetermined height so as to be closed by the uncured material when a predetermined amount of the uncured material is stored in the material storage portion of the coating nozzle. It is a thing.

[0013]

According to the present invention, the material layer coating means forms an uncured material layer having a constant thickness containing the photocurable resin on the carrier film, and the uncured material layer on the carrier film is the carrier film. When the transport film is moved to a predetermined moving section, the transport film on the downstream side of the engaging member is curved downward, and the curved portion of the transport film is engaged so as to move to one side in a movement direction substantially parallel to the modeling base. The member is moved, and the uncured material layer is laminated on the lower surface side of the shaping base.
Further, the transport film and the uncured material layer are supported from below by the substantially transparent support plate within a predetermined moving section of the transport film, and in this state, the uncured material is passed from the lower surface side of the transport film through the transport film. The layer is exposed. Therefore, the material layer in the exposed area becomes a flat hardened layer along the support plate, and the modeling accuracy is improved. Furthermore, after the exposure, the uncured material layer supported by the transport film around the cured layer fixed to the modeling base side by the exposure is separated from the modeling base side together with the transport film by the engaging member transport film. The curved portion of is moved to the other side in the movement direction. Therefore, when the uncured material layer of the next layer is exposed, the uncured material layer of the previous layer does not exist in the exposed area, and the exposure output of the exposure unit is strictly controlled to control the cured layer thickness. There is no need for control or so-called post-cure work.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the material coating portion of the coating nozzle is provided by the nosle plate placed on the transport film in a state where the movement of the transport film in the material transport direction is restricted. A slit-shaped gap extending in the width direction of the transport film is formed between the upper surface of the transport film and the slit in the width direction of the transport film between the passage forming portion of the coating nozzle and the upper surface of the transport film. A material passage substantially the same as the gap is formed. Further, since the passage cross-sectional area of the material passage is large on the material containing portion side of the coating nozzle and small on the slit-shaped gap side, the material entering the material passage from the material containing portion when the transport film moves. Moves relatively to the material coating portion side with respect to the coating nozzle, and at that time, an uncured material layer having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the slit-shaped gap is formed on the transport film. Therefore, an uncured material layer having a constant thickness can be easily formed on the transport film by using a coating nozzle having a simple structure.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the mask forming unit of the exposing means reciprocates along the lower surface of the support plate in a direction substantially parallel to the modeling base to selectively shield light from the lower surface of the support plate. As the mask is formed, the light blocking mask is removed from the lower surface of the support plate. Therefore, it is possible to realize a cheaper exposure means by using the support plate as a multi-functional component used for supporting the uncured material and forming a mask during exposure.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a movable table which moves in a direction substantially parallel to the modeling base while supporting the engaging member and the support plate, and the movable table has a movement direction substantially parallel to the modeling base. The mask forming unit is supported so as to move relative to the support plate. Therefore, it is possible to realize an inexpensive mask forming means capable of forming a mask at the time of exposure quickly and highly accurately by utilizing the operation of the moving table provided in the laminating means.

According to the present invention, when the uncured material is supplied to the coating nozzle through the supply port of the material supply container and a predetermined amount of the uncured material is stored in the material storage portion of the coating nozzle, the material is discharged. The material supply is stopped by closing the supply port of the supply container with the uncured material. On the other hand, when the uncured material in the material storage part is separated from the supply port of the material supply container by applying the uncured material to the transport film, external air enters the material supply container from the supply port, and the supply port is uncured. The material will be delivered until it is occluded again. Therefore, a simple material supply means is obtained by simply inverting the material supply container. In addition, the required number of material supply containers can be prepared according to the size of the object to be molded, and the material can be used efficiently, and not only the uncured material supply operation but also the handling of uncured material in the preparation process. Is also facilitated.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 to 8 are views showing an embodiment of a stereolithography apparatus according to the present invention. First, the configuration will be described.
In FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), reference numeral 11 is a flexible carrier film made of a substantially transparent band-like body that transmits light (for example, a polyester film having a thickness of 50 to 75 μm). The transport film 11 is fed from the transport film bobbin 10 and is separated in substantially parallel to each other. The nip roller 12, the sending roller 13, the leveling roller 14, and the scraping roller.
15, through the guide rollers 16, 17 and the nip roller 18,
The used transport bobbin 19 is wound up. These bobbins 1
Film moving means 20 for moving the transport film 11 in a predetermined material transport direction and transporting an uncured material layer L1 described later by the transport film 11 by the rollers 0 to 19 and the rollers 12 to 18.
Is composed.

The transport film 11 transports an uncured material layer L1 having a constant layer thickness, which will be described later, in a predetermined transport direction, and moves along a predetermined path while engaging with the rollers 12 to 18.
The delivery roller 13 is a roller that cooperates with the nip roller 12 to deliver the transport film 11 in a predetermined material transport direction (rightward in FIG. 1), and is driven by a servo motor (not shown) so as to make the feed pitch and speed variable. . The leveling roller 14 is substantially level with the sending roller 13 and has a horizontal movement table.
It is rotatably supported by 21, and the horizontal moving table 21 is guided by a horizontal guide (not shown) so as to be movable in the left-right direction in FIG. The moving table 21 has a light-shielding duct 23 extending in the vertical direction and a support portion (not shown) guided by the horizontal guide while supporting the light-shielding duct 23. A transparent drawing substrate 25, which is a plate, is supported so as to be movable in the left-right direction in FIG. A scraping roller 15 and a guide roller 16 are rotatably supported on the horizontal moving table 21 so as to be located immediately below the leveling roller 14, and scraping that makes sliding contact with the transport film 11 in the vicinity of the scraping roller 15. A container 26 is provided.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a material layer coating means for coating and forming an uncured material layer L1 having a constant layer thickness on the transport film 11. The material layer coating means 30 includes a nozzle plate 31 (coating nozzle) placed on the transport film 11, a nozzle base 36 supported by a fixed frame (not shown), and a plurality of bottle-shaped material supply containers 37 ( (Only one is shown in FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the nozzle plate 31 is formed by connecting a pair of segments 33, 34 having different transverse cross-sectional shapes in the longitudinal middle portion in a substantially parallel manner.
And a material coating section 31 provided downstream of the material storage section 31a in the material transport direction.
b, and a passage forming portion 31c provided between the material containing portion 31a and the material coating portion 31b.

The uncured material Pm supplied from the material supply container 37 to the material storage portion 31a of the nozzle plate 31 is a liquid photocurable resin (for example, a polymerizable vinyl compound or epoxy compound) within a predetermined temperature range. A paste containing substantially non-shrinking particles having an average particle size of 3 to 70 μm, preferably 10 to 60 μm (for example, glass beads or resin beads) in an amount of 5 to 70% by volume, preferably 10 to 55% by volume. (For example, the viscosity is 5,000 cps to 100,000 cps), and the fine particles thereof are treated with a known silane coupling agent to increase the mechanical strength after curing. Alternatively, the uncured material Pm has a diameter of 0.3-
A whisker having a length of 1 μm, a length of 10 to 70 μm and an aspect ratio of 10 to 100 may be used (in this case, 5 to 30% by volume of the whisker is mixed with the liquid photocurable resin).

The material supply container 37 is made of uncured material Pm.
Has a supply port 37a set to a predetermined diameter corresponding to the viscosity of the nozzle base 36, and supports the nozzle base 36 so that the supply port 37a faces downward and is located at the height of the portion corresponding to the liquid surface of the uncured material Pm. It is detachably attached to the fixed frame. When the height of the portion of the nozzle plate 31 corresponding to the liquid surface of the uncured material Pm in the material storage portion 31a is lowered, the supply port 37
The air outside the tank enters a and forms air bubbles 38 to form a space 39 in the upper part of the material supply container 37, and an amount of uncured material Pm corresponding to the increase of the volume of the space 39 is supplied to the nozzle plate 31. Supply. That is, when the liquid level is lowered due to the use of the uncured material Pm, the material supply container 37
Supplies the uncured material Pm to the nozzle plate 31 until the supply port 37a is closed again by the uncured material Pm and is shielded from the outside air, and the uncured material Pm is approximately equal to the amount of the uncured material Pm used for the above-mentioned use. The material containing portion 31a of the nozzle plate 31 is replenished with Pm. In this embodiment, since the plurality of material supply containers 37 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle plate 31, it is possible to replace the remaining material supply containers 37 while using some of them.
Further, the supply port 37a of the material supply container 37 may be formed as a plurality of holes in one tank, or the uncured material Pm may be formed.
It may have a slit shape having an appropriate length and width corresponding to the fluidity of the. Further, by providing a suitable partition, it is possible to selectively supply the material from a plurality of holes or slits.

The material coating portion 31b of the nozzle plate 31 forms a substantially slit-shaped gap g1 extending between the upper surface of the transport film 11 and the width direction of the transport film 11 (vertical direction in FIG. 3). The passage forming portion 31c of the nozzle plate 31 is
The widthwise dimension of the transport film 11 between the upper surface of the transport film 11 and the slit-shaped gap g1 is substantially the same, and the passage cross-sectional area (the area of the passage cross section orthogonal to the material transport direction) is on the material accommodating portion 31a side. So as to form a material passage 35 that is large in the slit-shaped gap g1 and is small in the gap g1 side.
It is provided between a and the material coating part 31b. Also,
In the segment 34, a cutout portion 34a (material coating portion) having substantially the same shape as the material coating portion 31b is formed.
A gap g2 can be formed between the cutout portion 34a and the transport film 11 by changing the manner of connecting the segment 34 to the transport film 11. In addition, a segment of the nozzle plate 31
The contact portion between the movement restricting member 32 and the movement restricting member 32 is formed with a recess 34a (for example, a plate fir) having a predetermined shape that engages with the tip of the movement restricting member 32. Although it can be slightly swung in the vertical direction with the abutting portion as a fulcrum serving as a fulcrum, the height of the material coating portion 31b does not substantially change due to the swing. Instead of the segment cement 34, as shown in FIG. 2B, a segment 35 having a substantially semicircular cross section in the longitudinal middle portion may be used.

On the other hand, the nozzle plate 31 is restricted from moving in the material conveying direction by a pair of screw type movement restricting members 32 at both ends thereof.
For example, as shown in FIG. 3, it is attached to the nozzle base 36 or the fixed frame outside the film width Wf of the transport film 11 so as to be positionally adjustable. In the area where the coating nozzle 31 forms the material passage 35 between itself and the transport film 11 (the area within the coating width Wm surrounded by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3), the transport film 11 has the nozzle base 36. The upper surface of the nozzle base 36 is finished to have a surface roughness (for example, 0.8 μm Rmax) that reduces friction with the transport film 11 and does not cause adsorption. There is.

As shown in FIG. 1B, when the horizontal moving table 21 is moving to the used carrying bobbin 19 side, the carrying film 11 faces the modeling base 41 in a predetermined moving section. The modeling base 41 is supported by an elevator (not shown) so as to be vertically movable so as to be substantially parallel to the transparent drawing substrate 25, faces the uncured material layer L1 from above the transport film 11, and is relative to the transparent drawing substrate 25. To and away from.

The leveling roller 14 constitutes an engaging member which engages with the transport film 11 in a predetermined movement section of the transport film 11 facing the modeling base 31, and the scraping roller 15
Further, in cooperation with the guide roller 16, the transport film 11 on the downstream side of the leveling roller 14 is curved downward. Further, the leveling roller 14 moves along with the horizontal moving table 21 when the horizontal moving table 21 moves in the left-right direction in FIG. 1 (a direction substantially parallel to the modeling base 41), whereby the curved portion of the transport film 11 is moved. Is moved substantially parallel to the modeling base 41. When the leveling roller 14 moves the curved portion of the transport film 11 to the right side (one side) in FIG. 1, the lower surface side of the modeling base 41 (the modeling base 41 or the lower surface of the hardened layer L2 fixed to it) is left untouched. When the curable material layer L1 is laminated and the curved portion of the transport film 11 is moved to the left (the other side) in FIG. 1, it is supported by the transport film 11 around the cured layer L2 fixed to the modeling base 41 side by the exposure. The uncured material layer L1 thus formed is separated from the modeling base 41 side together with the transport film 11. That is, the leveling roller 14 and the horizontal moving table 21 constitute a laminating means for laminating the uncured material layer L1 on the modeling base 41 or the hardened layer L2 fixed to the modeling base 41 by exposure. It has a horizontal moving table 21 that supports the transparent drawing substrate 25 and moves in a direction substantially parallel to the modeling base 41.

On the other hand, just below the modeling base 41, the exposing means 50 is provided.
Is provided. The exposure means 50 is, for example, an ultraviolet lamp 51 which is disposed below the horizontal moving table 21 and irradiates the transparent drawing substrate 25 with a predetermined amount of light (upward).
(Light source for exposure), a mask forming unit 52 that is an ionizer type drawing device that forms a light-shielding mask on the lower surface of the transparent drawing substrate 25, and a transparent conductive layer 25a integrally provided on the transparent drawing substrate 25 (see FIG. 4) and a transparent insulating layer (not shown) (not shown). The ultraviolet lamp 51 is, for example, an electrodeless ultraviolet lamp, and the amount of light thereof is measured by the integrated photometer 71.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the mask forming unit 52 includes a print cartridge 53, a developing sleeve 54,
Toner storage container 55, scraper 56, erase rod 57,
It has a cleaner 58 and a moving case 59 that accommodates all of them. Although not shown in detail in the print cartridge 53, a plurality of line electrodes and a plurality of finger electrodes located on the transparent drawing substrate 25 side thereof are arranged orthogonal to each other with a dielectric layer made of a predetermined dielectric material interposed therebetween. Along with the finger electrodes, a so-called matrix electrode structure is provided in which a screen electrode is provided on the transparent drawing substrate 25 side further on the transparent drawing substrate 25 side, and by applying a high frequency high voltage between the line electrode and the finger electrode. A discharge is generated at the electrode crossing portion to generate positive and negative ions. Of the positive and negative ions generated here, positive ions are absorbed by the finger electrodes or screen electrodes. Negative ions are accelerated and radiated to the transparent drawing substrate 25 side or blocked from radiating to the transparent drawing substrate 25 side according to the electric field between the finger electrodes and the screen electrodes. The negative ions accelerated and radiated to the transparent drawing substrate 25 side move toward the transparent drawing substrate 25 due to the electric field between the screen electrode and the transparent drawing substrate 25 in which the conductive layer 25a is connected to the ground, and are settled on the transparent drawing substrate 25. Form a latent image. Therefore, by controlling the voltage (line voltage, pack bias voltage, screen voltage) applied to each electrode, an electrostatic latent image of an arbitrary shape is formed on the lower surface of the transparent drawing substrate 25. Mask forming unit
The components other than the print cartridge 53 among the components of 52 are substantially the same as those used in a known electrophotographic image recording apparatus (for example, a copying machine), and therefore, detailed description will be omitted. The sleeve 54 rotates while adsorbing the toner (for example, one-component toner) in the toner storage container 55 on the outer peripheral surface, transferring the toner onto the electrostatic latent image formed on the transparent drawing substrate 25 to develop it, and then the ultraviolet light. A toner image is formed as a mask that shields the light from the lamp 51. Scraper 56
The transparent drawing substrate 25 and the mask forming unit 52 are shown in FIG.
When moving from the solid line position to the virtual line position in (a), the residual toner is collected in the toner container 55 by sliding contact with the lower surface of the transparent drawing substrate 25. The erase rod 57 uniformly charges the lower surface of the transparent drawing substrate 25 after removing the residual toner to erase the electrostatic latent image. The cleaner 58 is a known one and cleans the lower surface of the transparent drawing substrate 25. Also, move case 59
Is the light-shielding duct 23 when it is moved to the left end of FIG.
It has a side wall 59a which is close to and functions as a part of the light shielding duct 23. That is, the mask forming unit 52 selectively forms a light shielding mask on the lower surface of the transparent drawing substrate 25 when moving to one side, and removes the light shielding mask from the lower surface of the transparent drawing substrate 25 when moving to the other side. It is supposed to do.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, the transparent drawing substrate 25 and the moving case 59 of the mask forming unit 52 are driven by a stepping motor 64 via a movable pulley carriage 61 and a wire 63. Has become wire 63
Is the first wire portion 63a of the left half shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 4 (b) with the wire fixing point 52a of the mask forming unit 52 as a substantially intermediate point, and the right shown by the solid line in FIG. 4 (b). It is divided into a half second wire portion 63b. First wire part
63a is wound around the wire capstan 65 and the movable pulley carriage 61 connected to the stepping motor 64, is fixed to the wire fixing portion 21a of the horizontal moving base 21, and extends in a substantially Z shape. 63b is an idle roller 67
And the horizontal carriage 21 that is wound around the movable pulley carriage 61.
It is fixed to the wire fixing portion 21b and extends in a substantially S-shape. Therefore, when the stepping motor 64 rotates, the mask forming unit 52 moves in a moving direction substantially parallel to the modeling base 41 according to the rotating direction, and the transparent drawing substrate 25 moves at a speed half that of the mask forming unit 52. Then, the transparent drawing substrate 25 and the mask forming unit 52 relatively move in the horizontal direction.

During the exposure of the uncured material layer L1 by the exposure means 50 as described above, the transparent drawing substrate 25 transmits the light used for the exposure, and the transport film positioned in the predetermined movement section.
11 and a predetermined area of the uncured material layer L1
Support flatly and horizontally from below. Therefore, the transparent drawing substrate 25 may be a substantially transparent substrate that can transmit the exposure light from the ultraviolet lamp 51,
Preferably, for example, indium (In)
It is formed of a transparent conductive layer 25a (layer connected to the ground) made of tin (Sn) or the like and the transparent insulating layer (a mask is formed on the lower surface of this transparent insulating layer) covering the conductive layer. It Further, the uncured material layer L1 selectively exposed through the transport film 11 and the mask within the predetermined movement section of the transport film 11 remains uncured outside the mask region, but is exposed in the exposure region. It cures when exposed to light. That is, the hardened layer L1 having a predetermined shape corresponding to the mask shape is formed in the uncured material layer L1 in the predetermined movement section.
2 is formed.

The remaining portion of the uncured material layer L1 that remains uncured around the cured layer L2 is separated from the cured layer L2 side by the downward bending and movement of the transport film 11 (details will be described later). After being transported to the scraping device 26 while being supported by the transport film 11, the scraping device 26 scrapes it from the transport film 11 and collects it. Next, the operation will be described.

<Material Layer Coating and Mask Forming Step> First, the nozzle plate 31 is placed on the transport film 11 so that the movement in the material transport direction is regulated by the movement regulating member 32, and in this state the left and right movement is performed. The direction of the nozzle plate 31 is adjusted by adjusting the screw of the regulating member 32. At this time, a substantially slit-shaped gap g1 extending in the width direction of the transport film is formed between the material coating portion 31b of the nozzle plate 31 and the upper surface of the transport film 11, and the passage forming portion 31 of the nozzle plate 31 is formed.
A material passage whose dimension in the width direction of the transport film is substantially the same as that of the slit-shaped gap g1 between the c and the upper surface of the transport film 11.
35 are formed.

Next, a predetermined amount of uncured material Pm is supplied from the material supply container 37 into the material storage portion 31a of the nozzle plate 31. That is, until the supply port 37a of the material supply container 37 is closed by the uncured material Pm.
When the supply port 37a is closed by the uncured material Pm, the material supply is stopped. In addition, the uncured material Pm is applied to the transport film 11 so that the material storage portion 31a is formed.
When the uncured material Pm inside is separated from the supply port 37a of the material supply container 37, the outside air enters the material supply container 37 through the supply port 37a, and this becomes air bubbles 38 to form a space 39 in the material supply container 37. By increasing the volume, the uncured material Pm in the material supply container 37 passes through the supply port 37a and the nozzle plate.
Supplied to 31. Therefore, an appropriate amount of uncured material Pm can be constantly supplied by a simple material supply means simply by inverting the material supply container 37.

Next, the transport film 11 is moved in the material transport direction by the film moving means 20. At this time, with the relative movement of the transport film 11 and the nozzle plate 31,
The uncured material Pm is drawn out of the nozzle plate 31 through the slit-shaped gap g1, but the passage cross-sectional area of the material passage 35 is large on the material accommodating portion 31a side of the nozzle plate 31 and small on the slit-shaped gap g1 side. Therefore, the uncured material Pm that has entered the material passage 35 from the material storage portion 31a is gradually formed into a thin layer while moving relatively to the material coating portion 31b side with respect to the nozzle plate 31, and the slit-shaped gap g1 When passing through the slit-shaped gap g
An uncured material layer L1 having a constant layer thickness corresponding to 1 is formed. At this time, the transport film 11 and the nozzle plate 31 are guided flat on the nozzle base 36 at the peripheral portion of the material passage 35 formed between the transport film 11 and the nozzle plate 31, and thus the transport film 11 itself. Due to a certain degree of bending rigidity and tension in the material conveying direction, the conveying film 11 maintains sufficient flatness in the region where the material passage 35 is formed. Therefore, the uncured material layer L1 having a constant thickness is formed on the transport film 11 by using a nozzle plate having a simple structure.
Are formed easily and with extremely high precision.

At this time, below the transport film 11, as shown in FIGS.
Is driven to move the transparent drawing substrate 25 and the mask forming unit 52 relative to each other, and the print cartridge 53 is driven to draw, and the cured layer L to be formed on the lower surface of the transparent drawing substrate 25.
A light-shielding mask T corresponding to 2 is formed. In FIG. 5, (a) shows the start of mask drawing, (b) shows the mask drawing, and (c) shows the completion of the mask drawing. Figure 5
As shown in (c), when the drawing is completed, the tip of the uncured material layer L1 reaches the vicinity of the scraper 26, and the uncured material layer L1 on the transport film 11 moves to a predetermined moving section of the transport film 11. It will be in the state of doing. When the uncured material Pm remains on the transport film 11 on the downstream side, the uncured material on the transport film 11 is passed when passing between the scraping roller 15 and the scraper 26. Scraper 26
It is scraped off and collected.

<Laminating Step> Next, as shown in FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b), the horizontal moving table 21 moves to the used transport bobbin 19 side, and the leveling roller 14 moves integrally therewith. As the curved portion of the transport film 11 moves to one side in the movement direction substantially parallel to the molding base 41, the uncured material layer L1 curved downward on the downstream side of the leveling roller 14 is formed. The base 41 is laminated on the lower surface side from one end side to the other end side. And the horizontal moving table
When the leveling roller 14 moves to the position of FIG. 7C together with 21, the horizontal moving table 21 stops.

<Exposure Step> Next, a predetermined amount of light (ultraviolet light) is emitted from the ultraviolet lamp 51 from the lower side to the upper side of the transparent drawing substrate 25, and the lower surface of the transparent drawing substrate 25 is irradiated through the light shielding duct 23. At this time, the transparent drawing substrate 25
The light from the ultraviolet lamp 51 is selectively shielded by the mask T already formed on the lower surface of the, and the unshielded light passes through the transparent drawing substrate 25 and the transport film 11 to face the modeling base 41. Part of the uncured material layer L1 present is selectively exposed and cured to form a cured layer L2 having a predetermined shape corresponding to the shape of the mask T. At this time, the transport film 11 and the uncured material layer L1 in a predetermined movement section immediately below the modeling base 41 are horizontally and flatly supported from below by the transparent drawing substrate 25 in the entire exposure area. The uncured material layer L1 becomes a flat cured layer L2 along the transparent drawing substrate 25. Therefore, modeling accuracy is improved. The cured layer L2 is fixed to the modeling base 41 side during curing and becomes integral with the modeling base 41 or the lower layer cured product (the upper layer in FIG. 7C) formed previously.

<Peeling Step> Next, as shown in FIG. 8 (a), when the horizontal moving table 21 moves to the side of the transport film bobbin 10 and the leveling roller 14 recedes integrally with it, the surroundings of the hardened layer L2. The uncured material layer Lr, which remains uncured and is supported by the transport film 11, is curved so as to be separated from the modeling base 41 side together with the transport film 11.
It is peeled off from the modeling base 41 side. Therefore, when the uncured material layer L1 of the next layer is exposed, the uncured material layer Lr of the previous layer does not exist in the exposed region, and the exposure output (depth) is controlled to control the cured layer thickness. ) Does not need to be strictly controlled. Therefore, each cured layer L2 can be sufficiently cured with a sufficient exposure amount, and so-called post-cure work can be eliminated. When the peeling process is completed, the state shown in FIG. 6A is obtained.

<Mask Removal Step> Next, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (c), the stepping motor 64 is driven again to move the transparent drawing substrate 25 and the mask forming unit 52 relative to each other, and in that state, the scraper 56 collects toner and the erase rod 57 erases the electrostatic latent image. Then, the lower surface of the transparent drawing substrate 25 is cleaned by the cleaner 58, and the mask T formed on the lower surface of the transparent drawing substrate 25 is removed. In FIG. 6, (a) shows the start of the mask removing work, (b) shows the removing work, and (c) shows the end of the mask removing. Further, when the mask removal shown in FIG. 6C is completed, the uncured material layer Lr to be collected is
Half of the above is collected by the scraper 26, and the other half remains on the transport film 11. Therefore, FIG.
It is necessary to further move the transport film 11 to recover the remaining uncured material layer Lr as shown in FIG. 3, but the recovery of the remaining portion is performed at the same time as the above-mentioned material layer coating and mask forming steps.

As described above, in this embodiment, the transport film 11 is used.
The uncured material layer L1 having a constant thickness is formed by the movement of the transport film 11 by the nozzle plate 31 placed on
By moving the leveling roller 14 to one side, the uncured material layer L1 in a predetermined movement section is laminated on the lower surface side of the modeling base 41, and the laminated uncured material layer L1 is transferred through the transport film 11 to the transparent drawing substrate 25. It is supported flat from below and exposed in that state. Therefore, the uncured material layer L1 in the exposed area becomes a flat cured layer L2 along the transparent drawing substrate 25, and the modeling accuracy is improved. Further, the remaining uncured material layer L is returned by the returning of the leveling roller 14 after the exposure.
Since r is reliably peeled off from the modeling base 41 side, unlike the conventional case, the uncured material layer Lr of the previous layer does not exist in the exposed region of the uncured material layer L1 of the next layer. It becomes unnecessary to strictly control the exposure output of the exposure means or to perform so-called post-cure work for controlling the thickness. Therefore, the number of man-hours for modeling work can be significantly reduced.

Further, in this embodiment, the uncured material layer L1 having a constant thickness is easily formed on the transport film 11 by using the nozzle plate 31 having a simple structure, and the transparent drawing substrate 25 is made of the uncured material. Since it is a multi-functional component which is commonly used for the flat support of the layer L1 and the mask formation at the time of its exposure, it is possible to realize an inexpensive material layer coating means and an exposing means and reduce the cost of the apparatus. be able to. further,
In this embodiment, the leveling roller 14, the scraping roller 15, the scraping device 26, the transparent drawing substrate 25, and the mask forming unit 52 are supported on the horizontal moving table 21, so that the hardened layer L2 (exposure) on the modeling base 41 side is exposed. By using the operation for separating the cured portion) and the uncured material layer Lr (uncured material portion), an inexpensive mask forming means capable of forming the mask T at the time of exposure quickly and highly accurately is provided. Can be realized.

Further, in this embodiment, the material supply containers 37 are prepared by the number corresponding to the size of the modeling object (the required amount of material), and they are inverted and arranged in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle plate 31. The work for material supply is completed. Therefore, the preparatory work for supplying the material can be a very simple work. Moreover, the uncured material Pm is directly stored in the material supply container 37 from the nozzle plate 31.
Since the expensive uncured material Pm is not easily deteriorated or contaminated, it is possible to reduce the modeling cost.

[0043]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the uncured material layer coated on the transport film by the material layer coating means is moved downward by the substantially transparent support plate within the predetermined moving section of the transport film. Since the uncured material layer is exposed from the lower surface side of the transport film through the transport film in that state, it is possible to improve the modeling accuracy by forming a flat cured layer along the support plate. You can Further, the uncured material layer supported by the transport film around the cured layer can be easily separated from the modeling base side together with the transport film, and the exposure means for controlling the cured layer thickness when the next layer is exposed. It is possible to eliminate the need to strictly control the exposure output of 1 or perform so-called post-cure work. As a result, the exposure means can be made simple and low-cost, and the number of modeling operations can be significantly reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the transport film is moved by the nosultylate whose movement in the material transport direction is restricted, it is formed between the transport film and the material coating section. Since the material that has entered the material passage from the material storage portion through the slit-shaped gap is formed into an uncured material layer having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the gap, a transport film is formed using a nozzle plate with a simple structure. An uncured material layer having a constant layer thickness can be easily formed thereon.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the mask forming unit of the exposure means is moved along the lower surface of the transparent supporting plate to selectively form the light shielding mask on the lower surface of the supporting plate. Therefore, a cheaper exposure means can be realized by using the support plate as a multi-functional component used for supporting the uncured material and forming a mask during exposure.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the mask forming unit is supported on the moving table which moves while supporting the engaging member and the supporting plate so as to move relative to the supporting plate, it is possible to prevent the exposure curing portion from being exposed. By utilizing the operation for separating the uncured material portion, the mask at the time of exposure can be formed quickly and with high accuracy, and an inexpensive mask forming means can be realized.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, by closing or opening the supply port of the material supply container with the uncured material on the coating nozzle side, stable material supply can be realized with an extremely simple structure. it can. Further, it is only necessary to arrange the required number of material supply containers on the coating nozzle according to the size of the object to be molded, and the work of supplying the uncured material can be made extremely easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of a stereolithography apparatus according to the present invention, in which (a) shows a state of applying an uncured material layer and (b) shows an uncured material layer thereof. The time of lamination is shown.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a material layer coating means of one embodiment, (a) shows a state in which the nozzle plate is placed on a transport film, and (b) shows the nozzle plate. The other aspect of one segment is shown.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an arrangement of a material layer coating width, a conveying film width, and a movement restricting member in one example.

FIG. 4 is a partial front view showing the configuration of a support plate and a mask forming unit of one embodiment, (a) shows the arrangement and moving direction of both, and (b) shows the configuration of both drive systems. ing.

5A and 5B are process explanatory diagrams illustrating a material layer coating process and a mask forming process according to an embodiment, in which FIG. 5A is the start time of the coating and mask forming operation, and FIG. During the mask forming operation, (c) shows the completion of coating and mask formation.

6A to 6C are process explanatory diagrams illustrating a mask removing process according to one embodiment, in which FIG. 6A is the start time of the mask removing operation, FIG. 6B is the mask removing operation, and FIG. It indicates the completion time.

7A and 7B are views for explaining a material layer laminating step and an exposing step of one embodiment, where FIG. 7A is the start of the laminating operation, FIG. 7B is the laminating operation, and FIG. 7C is the exposing operation. Is shown.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a material layer peeling process of one embodiment,
(a) shows the operation of the scraping device for scraping off the residual uncured material on the transport film immediately after the peeling operation (a).

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Conveying film 13 Sending roller 14 Leveling roller (engaging member) 15 Scraping roller 16, 17 Winding roller 20 Film moving means 21 Horizontal moving stand (moving stand) 25 Transparent drawing substrate 26 Scraping device 30 Material layer coating means 31 Nozzle plate (coating nozzle) 31a Material storage part 31b Material coating part 31c Passage forming part 32 Movement restricting member 33, 34 Segment 35 Material passage 36 Nozzle base 37 Material supply container 37a Supply port 41 Molding base 50 Exposure means 51 UV light Lamp (light source) 52 Mask forming unit g1 slit-like gap L1 uncured material layer L2 cured layer

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A flexible transport film made of a substantially transparent strip that transmits light, and an uncured material layer having a constant thickness made of an uncured material containing a photocurable resin on the transport film. A material layer coating means for forming a coating, a film moving means for moving the transport film in a predetermined material transport direction to transport the uncured material layer by the transport film, and a predetermined moving section of the transport film. An exposure unit that selectively exposes the uncured material layer through a transport film to form a cured layer having a predetermined shape in the uncured material layer within the predetermined movement section, and an uncured material layer by the exposure unit. During exposure, a substantially transparent support plate that supports the transport film and the uncured material layer located in the predetermined movement section from below the transport film while transmitting light used for the exposure, and A shaping base provided substantially parallel to the support plate so as to face the uncured material layer above the transport film in the predetermined movement section and relatively approach and separate from the support plate, and the predetermined movement section It has an engaging member which engages with the transport film in the vicinity, and bends the transport film on the downstream side of the engaging member downward, and the curved portion of the transport film is moved by the movement of the engaging member. When the curved portion of the transport film is moved back and forth in a movement direction substantially parallel to the molding base, the uncured material layer is laminated on the lower surface side of the molding base, and the curved portion of the transport film is laminated. Is moved to the other side, the uncured material layer supported by the transport film around the cured layer fixed on the modeling base side by the exposure is conveyed. Optical shaping apparatus, characterized in that it and a laminating means that spaced apart from the shaping base side along with the film. 2. The material layer coating means has a coating nozzle which is placed on the transport film and whose movement in the material transport direction is restricted, wherein the coating nozzle is the uncured A substantially slit-shaped gap extending in the width direction of the transport film is formed between the material storage unit that stores the material and the material storage unit, which is provided on the downstream side in the material transport direction with respect to the material storage unit and extends to the upper surface of the transport film. Between the material coating section and the upper surface of the transport film, the widthwise dimension of the transport film is substantially the same as the slit-shaped gap, and the passage cross-sectional area is large on the material accommodating section side. The stereolithography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a passage forming portion provided between the material containing portion and the material coating portion so as to form a material passage that becomes smaller on a gap side. 3. The exposure means reciprocates in a direction substantially parallel to the shaping base along a lower surface of the support plate and a light source that emits light upward from a lower side of the support plate. When moving to the side, a light shielding mask is selectively formed on the lower surface of the support plate,
2. A stereolithography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a mask forming unit that removes the light-shielding mask from the lower surface of the support plate when moving to the other side. 4. The stacking means has a moving base that supports the engaging member and the support plate and moves in a direction substantially parallel to the modeling base, and the mask forming unit of the exposing means is the modeling tool. The stereolithography apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the stereolithography apparatus is supported by the movable table so as to move relative to the support plate in a movement direction substantially parallel to the base. 5. The material layer coating means has a material supply container for supplying an uncured material to the coating nozzle through a supply port having a predetermined diameter, and the supply port of the material supply container faces downward, and The light according to claim 2, wherein the coating nozzle is positioned at a predetermined height so that when the predetermined amount of the uncured material is stored in the material storage portion of the coating nozzle, the uncured material is closed. Modeling equipment.