ELECTROSTATIC 3-D PRINTER USING LEVELING MATERIAL AND MECHANICAL PLANER

• Main Authors: NOWAK WILLIAM J, LIU CHU-HENG, JORGE A ALVAREZ, PAUL J MCCONVILLE, MICHAEL F ZONA, CLARK ROBERT A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: 14.12.2017
• Subjects: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY; ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OFTHREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVEAGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING,STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a 3-D printer improving part uniformity in a 3-D printing architecture using electrophotography.SOLUTION: A three-dimensional (3-D) printer includes build and support material development stations 114, 116 positioned to transfer layers of build and support materials to an intermediate transfer surface 110. A platen 118 having a flat surface is positioned to contact the intermediate transfer surface 110. The intermediate transfer surface 110 transfers a layer 102 of the build and support materials to the flat surface of the platen 118 as the platen 118 contacts one of the layers on the intermediate transfer surface. A dispenser 142 is positioned to deposit a leveling material on the layer on the platen 118, and a mechanical planer 144 is positioned to contact and level the leveling material on the layer on the platen 118 to make the top of the leveling material parallel to the flat surface of the platen 118.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1 【課題】電子写真法を使用した３Ｄ印刷アーキテクチャにおける部品均一性を改善する、３Ｄプリンターの提供。【解決手段】３次元（３Ｄ）プリンタは、中間転写面１１０に造形及び支持材料の層を転写するように配置された造形及び支持材料現像ステーション１１４、１１６を含む。平坦面を有するプラテン１１８は、中間転写面１１０と接触するように配置されている。中間転写面１１０は、プラテン１１８が中間転写面上の層の１つに接触するのにともない、プラテン１１８の平坦面に造形及び支持材料の層１０２を転写する。ディスペンサ１４２は、プラテン１１０上の層上に平坦化材料を堆積させるように配置され、機械的プレーナー１４４は、平坦化材料の上部をプラテン１１０の平坦面と平行にするようにプラテン１１０上の層上の平坦化材料と接触して平坦化するように配置されている、３Ｄプリンター。【選択図】図１