US 11,868,124 B2
Apparatus, system and method of forming polymer microspheres for use in additive manufacturing
Nicholas Dippel, St. Petersburg, FL (US); and Thomas Gardner, St. Petersburg, FL (US)
Assigned to JABIL INC.
Appl. No. 17/311,635
Filed by JABIL INC., St. Petersburg, FL (US)
PCT Filed Dec. 6, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/065035
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 7, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/118231, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 11, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/776,287, filed on Dec. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0016830 A1, Jan. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. B01J 2/16 (2006.01); G05B 23/02 (2006.01); G06T 19/00 (2011.01); G06F 8/65 (2018.01); G05B 19/042 (2006.01); B29C 64/307 (2017.01); B29C 64/364 (2017.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.01); B29C 64/245 (2017.01); B29C 64/295 (2017.01); B29C 64/205 (2017.01); B29C 64/25 (2017.01); H04L 9/40 (2022.01); H04W 4/38 (2018.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01)
CPC G05B 23/0283 (2013.01) [B01J 2/16 (2013.01); B29C 64/153 (2017.08); B29C 64/205 (2017.08); B29C 64/245 (2017.08); B29C 64/25 (2017.08); B29C 64/295 (2017.08); B29C 64/307 (2017.08); B29C 64/364 (2017.08); G05B 19/0425 (2013.01); G06F 8/65 (2013.01); G06T 19/006 (2013.01); H04L 63/107 (2013.01); H04W 4/38 (2018.02); B29K 2823/06 (2013.01); B29K 2995/0094 (2013.01); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for forming print material particles for additive manufacturing (AM) printing, comprising:
a melt chamber comprising a polymer melt;
a vertical extruder that fluidically receives the polymer melt;
an atomizer that atomizes the polymer melt from the vertical extruder and that distributes the atomized polymer melt;
a fall chamber comprising a plurality of zones into which the atomized polymer melt is distributed, the plurality of zones comprising:
a plurality of heating zones comprising at least one heating zone including a heat emitter capable of providing a temperature of 250 degrees C. to the atomized polymer melt in the fall chamber; and
a plurality of cooling zones comprising at least one cooling zone corresponding to a cooling element;
one or more gas inlets suitable, in conjunction with at least both (i) the heat emitter and (ii) the cooling element, to control a flow of the distribution of the atomized polymer melt in the fall chamber; and
a collector to receive the print material particles formed of the atomized polymer melt after falling through the plurality of zones.