US 11,666,975 B2
Three-dimensional printer with nitrogen atmosphere
Varun Sambhy, Pittsford, NY (US); George Shannon, Fairport, NY (US); and Santokh S. Badesha, Pittsford, NY (US)
Assigned to XEROX CORPORATION, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed by XEROX CORPORATION, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed on Dec. 2, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/109,800.
Prior Publication US 2022/0168817 A1, Jun. 2, 2022
Int. Cl. B22F 12/70 (2021.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B22D 23/00 (2006.01); B22F 10/22 (2021.01); B22F 12/53 (2021.01); B33Y 40/00 (2020.01)
CPC B22F 12/70 (2021.01) [B22D 23/003 (2013.01); B22F 10/22 (2021.01); B22F 12/53 (2021.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/00 (2014.12); B22F 2201/02 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A three-dimensional (3D) printer, comprising:
an ejector comprising a nozzle;
a heating element configured to heat a solid metal in the ejector, thereby causing the solid metal to change to a liquid metal within the ejector;
a coil wrapped at least partially around the ejector;
a power source configured to supply one or more pulses of power to the coil, which cause one or more drops of the liquid metal to be jetted out of the nozzle;
a substrate configured to support the one or more drops as the one or more drops solidify to form a 3D object;
an enclosure having the nozzle and the substrate positioned therein;
a first gas source configured introduce a first gas into the enclosure which causes an oxygen concentration in the enclosure to be less than about 5% proximate to the one or more drops, the 3D object, or both; and
a second gas source configured to introduce a second gas into the enclosure, wherein the second gas is different than the first gas, and wherein the second gas comprises helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, or a combination thereof.