Reservoir with substrate assembly for reducing separation forces in three-dimensional printing
The present invention concerns a system and reservoir assembly for three-dimensional (3D) printing. The reservoir assembly includes a top frame that may be filled with liquid material, and a tensioned film being held underneath the top frame. The tensioned film may be air permeable and flexible, wherein surfaces of the tensioned film may be micro textured. A bottom frame is coupled to the top frame and secures a transparent or semi-transparent rigid substrate. A permeable substrate is sandwiched between the tensioned film secured to the top frame and the transparent or semi-transparent rigid substrate secured to the bottom frame.
1. A substrate assembly for use with a three-dimensional printer reservoir, the reservoir including a frame defining a cavity adapted to be at least partially filled with a photosensitive liquid, the substrate assembly comprising:
a first layer comprising a permeable film adapted to be configured with a lower portion of the cavity and to hold the photosensitive liquid within the cavity;
a second layer configured below the first layer; and
a third layer comprising a permeable substrate disposed between the first layer and the second layer.
2. The substrate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second layer comprises a transparent or semi-transparent rigid substrate.
3. The substrate assembly of claim 2 , wherein the permeable substrate comprises a paper mesh.
4. The substrate assembly of claim 3 , wherein the paper mesh includes a thickness of less than or equal to 30 μm.
5. The substrate assembly of claim 3 , wherein the paper mesh includes a weight density of about 2 g/m 2 to 34 g/m 2 .
6. The substrate assembly of claim 2 , wherein the permeable substrate comprises woven strands.
7. The substrate assembly of claim 6 , wherein the strands include nylon strands with a diameter of about 0.0015 inch.
8. The substrate assembly of claim 1 , wherein the third layer is at least partially attached to a portion of the frame.
9. The substrate assembly of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the first layer and/or a surface of the second layer includes at least one airway.
10. The substrate assembly of claim 3 , wherein the permeable substrate provides transmission of light through the paper mesh of at least 90%.
11. The substrate assembly of claim 2 , wherein the transparent or semi-transparent rigid substrate comprises a projection lens of a stereolithography projector.
12. The substrate assembly of claim 11 , wherein the projection lens comprises an LCD projection lens of an LCD-based stereolithography projector.
13. The substrate assembly of claim 11 , wherein the projection lens comprises a DLP projection lens of a DLP-based stereolithography projector.
14. The substrate assembly of claim 9 , wherein at least one airway is formed by applying a surface coating to the surface of the permeable film and/or to the surface of the permeable substrate and/or to a surface of the transparent or semi-transparent rigid substrate.
15. The substrate assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one airway is formed by sandblasting the surface of the permeable film and/or the surface of the permeable substrate.
16. The substrate assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one airway is formed by chemically treating the surface of the permeable film and/or the surface of the permeable substrate.
17. The substrate assembly of claim 14 , wherein the surface coating comprises a mixture of particles.
18. The substrate assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one airway is formed by a disposing a powder to the surface of the permeable film and/or to the surface of the permeable substrate.
19. The substrate assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a projection lens of a stereolithography projector configured below the permeable film first layer and wherein the projection lens comprises an LCD projection lens of an LCD-based stereolithography projector.
20. The substrate assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a projection lens of a stereolithography projector configured below the permeable film first layer and wherein the projection lens comprises a DLP projection lens of a DLP-based stereolithography projector.
21. The substrate assembly of claim 1 wherein the permeable substrate includes a permeable gel.