Simultaneous multiple layer curing in stereolithography

US 5,597,520 A
Filed: 04/25/1994
Issued: 01/28/1997
Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1990
Status: Expired due to Term

- Alert
- Pin

Associated Case

Associated Defendants

First Claim

Patent Images

1. An improved method of stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object by forming cross-sectional layers of said object from a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising the steps of receiving data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers, forming said cross-sectional layers by selectively exposing said material to said synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising the steps of:

modifying data descriptive of at least a portion of at least one cross-sectional layer by copying said data from a first cross-section to a second cross-section; and

using said modified data in forming said three-dimensional object.

View all claims

1 Assignment

Timeline View

Assignment View

Litigations

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

A method and apparatus for making high resolution objects by stereolithography utilizing low resolution materials which are limited by their inability to form unsupported structures of desired thinness and/or their inability to form coatings of desired thinness. Data manipulation techniques, based on layer comparisons, are used to control exposure in order to delay solidification of the material on at least portions of at least some cross-sections until higher layers of material are deposited so as to allow down-facing features of the object to be located at a depth in the building material which is equal to or exceeds a minimum cure depth that can effectively be used for solidifying these features. Similar data manipulations are used to ensure minimum reliable coating thicknesses exist, above previously solidified material, before attempting solidification of a next layer. In addition, horizontal comparison techniques are used to provide enhanced cross-sectional data for use in forming the object.

104 Citations

View as Search Results

31 Claims

1. An improved method of stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object by forming cross-sectional layers of said object from a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising the steps of receiving data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers, forming said cross-sectional layers by selectively exposing said material to said synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising the steps of:
- modifying data descriptive of at least a portion of at least one cross-sectional layer by copying said data from a first cross-section to a second cross-section; and
  
  using said modified data in forming said three-dimensional object.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- - 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
    - further modifying data descriptive of said second cross-section by differencing the copied data from any other data on the second cross-section and on any intermediate cross-sections between said first and second cross-sections;
      
      using said further modified data in forming said three-dimensional object.
  - 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of modifying comprises copying data descriptive of at least a portion of a down-facing feature.
  - 4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of copying of at least a portion of a down-facing feature comprises exposing said copied portion with an amount of synergistic stimulation necessary to achieve a cure depth of approximately the amount shifted plus one layer thickness.
  - 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the synergistic stimulation is electromagnetic radiation and the material is a photopolymer which solidifies in response to said radiation.
  - 6. The method of claim 4 wherein the copying is from one layer thickness away and the exposure applied to the copied portion is approximately two layer thicknesses.
  - 7. The method of claim 4 wherein the copying is from at least two layer thicknesses away and the exposure applied to the copied portion is at least approximately three layer thicknesses.
  - 8. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of modifying comprises shifting data descriptive of a non-down-facing feature such that at least a two layer thickness separation occurs between at least a portion of said modified cross-sectional data on said second layer and any modified data located directly below said portion.
  - 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the synergistic stimulation is electromagnetic radiation and the material a photopolymer which is solidifies in response to said radiation.
  - 10. The method of claim 8 wherein the shifting of data is at least two layer thicknesses.
  - 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the shifting of data is at least three layer thicknesses.

12. An improved method of stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object by forming cross-sectional layers of said object from a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising the steps of receiving data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers, forming said cross-sectional layers by selectively exposing said material to said synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising the steps of:
- modifying data descriptive of at least portions of two cross-sectional layers by shifting said data from a first cross-sectional layer through at least one intermediate cross-sectional layer to a second cross-sectional layer and by differencing the shifted data from data descriptive of said second and said at least one intermediate cross-sectional layers; and
  
  using said modified data in forming said three-dimensional object.

13. An improved method of stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object by forming cross-sectional layers of said object from a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising the steps of receiving data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers, forming said cross-sectional layers by selectively exposing said material to said synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising the steps of:
- modifying data descriptive of at least a portion of one cross-sectional layer by copying said data from a first cross-section to a second cross-section and intersecting the copied data with data descriptive of the second cross-sectional layer and utilizing only that portion which is common; and
  
  using said modified data in forming said three-dimensional object.
- View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- - 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first layer is located below the second layer and the shifted data is down-facing skin data.
  - 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the down-facing skin data on the first layer is final down-facing skin data that was shifted from a layer below the first layer to the first layer prior to copying the down-facing data from the first layer to the second layer.
  - 16. The method of claim 13 wherein the first layer is located above the second layer and the shifted data is up-facing skin data.
  - 17. The method of claim 13 wherein a non-flat priority embodiment is used to determine appropriate regions to misplace in regions where the object thickness is less than the MSD.
  - 18. The method of claim 13 wherein only exterior portions of at least some regional boundaries are used in forming boundary portions of the cross-sectional layers of the object.

19. An improved method of stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object by forming cross-sectional layers of said object from a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising the steps of receiving data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers, forming said cross-sectional layers by selectively exposing said material to said synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising the steps of:
- delaying forming a portion of a first cross-sectional layer to enhance proper placement of object features.
- View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
- - 20. The method of claim 19 wherein said delaying step includes the step of shifting said data descriptive of at least said portion of said first cross-section to a second cross-section.
  - 21. The method of claim 20 wherein said shifting step includes the step of copying said data descriptive of said portion of said first cross-section to said second cross-section.

22. An improved method of stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object by forming cross-sectional layers of said object from a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising the steps of receiving data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers and forming said cross-sectional layers by selectively exposing said material to said synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising the step of:
- delaying forming a portion of a first cross-sectional layer to allow for physical transformation of an appropriate depth of material.

23. An improved method of stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object by forming cross-sectional layers of said object from a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising the steps of receiving data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers and forming said cross-sectional layers by selectively exposing said material to said synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising the step of:
- modifying data descriptive of at least a portion of at least one cross-sectional layer by shifting said data from a first cross-section to a second cross-section; and
  
  using said modified data in forming said three-dimensional object.

24. An improved apparatus for stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object by forming cross-sectional layers of said object from a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising means for receiving data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers and means for forming said cross-sectional layers by selectively exposing said material to said synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising:
- means for delaying forming a portion of a first cross-sectional layer to enhance proper placement of object features.
- View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
- - 25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said delaying means includes means for shifting said data descriptive of at least said portion of said first cross-sectional layer to a second cross-sectional layer.
  - 26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said shifting means includes means for copying said data descriptive of said portion of said first cross-sectional layer to said second cross-sectional layer.

27. An improved apparatus for stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object by forming cross-sectional layers of said object from a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising means for receiving data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers and means for forming said cross-sectional layers by selectively exposing said material to said synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising:
- means for delaying forming a portion of a first cross-sectional layer to allow for physical transformation of an appropriate depth of material.

28. An improved apparatus for stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object from layers of a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising means for receiving data descriptive of cross-sections of the three-dimensional object, each cross-section representing one layer of the object to be formed, means for forming layers of said material, and means for exposing said layers to synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sections to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising:
- means for modifying data descriptive of at least two cross-sections by shifting said data from a first cross-section to a second cross-section and by differencing the shifted data from any other data on the second cross-section and on intermediate cross-section.

29. An improved apparatus for stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object by forming cross-sectional layers of said object from a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising means for receiving data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers and means for forming said cross-sectional layers by selectively exposing said material to said synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising:
- means for modifying data descriptive of at least a portion of at least one cross-sectional layer by shifting said data from a first cross-section to a second cross-section; and
  
  means for using said modified data in forming said three-dimensional object.

30. An improved apparatus for stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object by forming cross-sectional layers of said object from a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising means for receiving data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers and means for forming said cross-sectional layers by selectively exposing said material to said synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising:
- means for modifying data descriptive of at least portions of two cross-sectional layers by shifting said data from a first cross-sectional layer through at least one intermediate cross-sectional layer to a second cross-sectional layer and by differencing the shifted data from data descriptive of said second and said at least one intermediate cross-sectional layers; and
  
  means for using said modified data in forming said three-dimensional object.

31. An improved apparatus for stereolithographically forming a three-dimensional object by forming cross-sectional layers of said object from a material capable of physical transformation upon exposure to synergistic stimulation comprising means for receiving data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers and means for forming said cross-sectional layers by selectively exposing said material to said synergistic stimulation according to said data descriptive of said cross-sectional layers to build up the three-dimensional object layer-by-layer, the improvement comprising:
- means for modifying data descriptive of at least portions of two cross-sectional layers by copying said data from a first cross-section to a second cross-section and intersecting the copied data with data descriptive of the second cross-sectional layer and keeping only that portion which is common; and
  
  means for using said modified data in forming said three-dimensional object.

Specification

Resources

Litigation Campaign Assessment

Litigation Data

Current Assignee
3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
Original Assignee
3D Systems, Inc. (3D Systems Corporation)
Inventors
Smalley, Dennis R., Hull, Charles W., VanDorin, Stacie L., Vorgitch, Thomas J., Manners, Chris R.
Primary Examiner(s)
Tentoni, Leo B.

Application Number

US08/233,027
Time in Patent Office

1,009 Days
Field of Search

264/22, 264/40.1, 264/255, 264/308, 425/135, 425/174, 425/174.4, 156/64, 156/242, 156/273.3, 156/273.5, 156/275.5, 156/307.1, 156/378, 156/379.6, 156/538, 427/8, 427/393.5, 427/407.1, 427/430.1, 427/508, 427/510, 427/512, 427/553, 427/554, 427/581, 427/555, 118/429, 118/500, 118/620, 118/712, 250/492.1, 364/468, 364/476, 365/106, 365/107, 365/119, 365/120, 365/126, 365/127, 395/119
US Class Current

264/401
CPC Class Codes

B29C 64/40   Structures for supporting 3...

B33Y 10/00   Processes of additive manuf...

G05B 2219/49013   Deposit layers, cured by sc...

G06T 17/00   Three dimensional [3D] mode...

Simultaneous multiple layer curing in stereolithography

First Claim

1 Assignment

Litigations

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

104 Citations

31 Claims

Specification

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links

Simultaneous multiple layer curing in stereolithography

First Claim

1 Assignment

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

Litigations

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

104 Citations

31 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links