초록 ▼

A system is provided for producing a three dimensional object from a reactive liquid medium capable of being solidified. The object is constructed from many successive layers of the solidified reactive liquid medium when subjected to appropriate synergistic stimulation. A reservoir contains both the

A system is provided for producing a three dimensional object from a reactive liquid medium capable of being solidified. The object is constructed from many successive layers of the solidified reactive liquid medium when subjected to appropriate synergistic stimulation. A reservoir contains both the reactive liquid medium and an underlying supporting, substantially immiscible, non-reactive liquid medium. To begin forming the object, a platform within the reservoir is initially positioned at a depth equal to the thickness of a first layer to be solidified, and continues to support the object being constructed. The synergistic source radiates toward the reactive liquid medium and imaging apparatus defining a three dimensional object of required configuration selectively controls the size and shape of that part of a new two dimensional layer to be solidified. At least part of the new layer is solidified, after which a further layer is applied. This sequence is repeated until all of the solidified layers define the three dimensional object being constructed. In another embodiment, a first part of the new two dimensional layer of the reactive liquid medium is solidified, then all unreacted reactive liquid medium is removed from the reservoir and replaced with a new layer of the reactive liquid medium having a substantially uniform thickness and generally coplanar with and equivalent to the thickness of the first part solidified earlier. Then the second part of the new two dimensional layer of the reactive liquid medium corresponding to the replacement liquid medium is solidified.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of producing from a reactive liquid medium capable of being solidified a three dimensional object constructed from a plurality of successive layers of the solidified reactive liquid medium when subjected to appropriate synergistic stimulation, said method comprising the steps of: (a) provid

A method of producing from a reactive liquid medium capable of being solidified a three dimensional object constructed from a plurality of successive layers of the solidified reactive liquid medium when subjected to appropriate synergistic stimulation, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a reservoir containing a reactive liquid medium capable of being solidified and an underlying non-reactive liquid medium substantially immiscible with the reactive liquid medium for supporting the reactive liquid medium; (b) providing a platform within the reservoir having an upper surface and being initially positioned at a depth which is substantially equal to a uniform thickness of that part of a first layer to be solidified to begin forming the object and continuing to support the object being constructed on the platform within the reservoir; (c) directing a source of synergistic stimulation toward the reactive liquid medium to be solidified; (d) operating imaging means for selectively controlling the size and shape of that part of a new two dimensional layer of the reactive liquid medium to be solidified; (e) controlling operation of the imaging means utilizing coordinate information defining a three dimensional object of required configuration; (f) solidifying at least part of the new two dimensional layer of the reactive liquid medium; (g) providing a further layer of the reactive liquid medium having a substantially uniform thickness overlying the new solidified layer on the object and equivalent to the thickness of that part of the next succeeding two dimensional layer to be solidified; and repeating steps (c) through (g) until all of the layers of the solidified reactive liquid medium define the three dimensional object being constructed; wherein step (g) includes the step of: (h) adjusting the thickness of the further layer of the reactive liquid medium to achieve the further layer of step (g); and wherein the reactive liquid medium is confined within an enclosed area in the reservoir; and wherein step (h) includes the step of: (i) altering the size of the enclosed area of the further layer of the reactive liquid medium so as to maintain a thickness thereof equivalent to the thickness of that part of the next succeeding two dimensional layer to be solidified.