IP Library Granted Patent US 7,797,071
Granted Patent B2
US 7,797,071 · App. 11/749,159 · Granted Sep 14, 2010

Printer system including a placement mechanism for placing objects

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,797,071
App. No.
11/749,159
Granted
Sep 14, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A printer system is provided for developing a three dimensional (3D) printed structure. The system includes a plurality of spaced apart sets of printing devices. A conveyor system is arranged to serially convey a print medium in register with each set so that printed voxels from each successive set can form successive layers of the 3D printed structure upon the print medium. A placement mechanism is configured to place an object upon layers of the 3D printed structure.

Claims (15)

1. A printer system for developing a three dimensional (3D) printed structure, the system comprising:

a plurality of spaced apart sets of printing devices;

a conveyor system arranged to serially convey a print medium operatively with respect to each set of printing devices at a substantially constant linear speed so that printed voxels from each successive set of printing devices form successive layers of the 3D printed structure upon the print medium; and

a robot configured to place an object upon layers of the 3D printed structure.

2. A printer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the robot includes a translation mechanism configured to translate the object at substantially the same speed as the conveyance of the print medium during placement.

3. A printer system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the robot includes a further translation mechanism configured to translate the object towards the print medium during placement.

4. A printer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the printing devices are arranged so that each successive set of printing devices is located further from the conveyor than any preceding set.

5. A printer system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein each set of printing devices includes a plurality of printing devices arranged in a row.

6. A printer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein all of the printing devices in each set of printing devices are configured to print voxels of material concurrently.

7. A printer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each set of printing devices is a singleton set containing exactly one printing device.

8. A printer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the material printed by set of printing devices comprises any one of the following group: a polymeric material, a metallic material, a sacrificial material, and an evaporative drying material.

9. A printer system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the metallic material is any one of the group of: Indium and an alloy of Indium and Gallium.

10. A printer system as claimed in claim 1 , further including plurality of curing mechanisms interleaved between sets of printing devices and configured to cure the printed voxels.

11. A printer system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein each curing mechanism is configured to carry out at least one of the following operations: cooling to cause the voxels to solidify, evaporative drying, precipitation reactions, catalytic reactions and curing using electromagnetic radiation.

12. A printer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said electromagnetic radiation includes ultra violet radiation.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2021
From: HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: 3D SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 057651/0374 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 27, 2019
From: 3D SYSTEMS, INC.
To: HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 048456/0017 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2013
From: SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY LTD
To: 3D SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 030404/0275 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2007
From: SILVERBROOK, KIA
To: SILVERBROOK RESEARCH PTY LTD
Reel/Frame 019303/0119 →