US 11,667,072 B2
Liquid metal printing
Skylar J. E. Tibbits, Boston, MA (US); Jared Smith Laucks, Somerville, MA (US); Schendy G. Kernizan, Milton, MA (US); Bjorn Eric Sparrman, Somerville, MA (US); Nobuhiro Miya, San Jose, CA (US); and Masaki Otomori, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Cambridge, MA (US); and AISIN AW CO., LTD., Anjo (JP)
Filed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US); and AISIN AW CO., LTD., Anjo (JP)
Filed on Oct. 16, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/73,158.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/916,118, filed on Oct. 16, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0114285 A1, Apr. 22, 2021
Int. Cl. B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B22D 23/02 (2006.01); B22D 45/00 (2006.01); B29C 64/118 (2017.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/227 (2017.01); B29C 64/371 (2017.01); B29C 64/321 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B29C 64/295 (2017.01)
CPC B29C 64/118 (2017.08) [B22D 23/02 (2013.01); B22D 45/00 (2013.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B29C 64/227 (2017.08); B29C 64/295 (2017.08); B29C 64/321 (2017.08); B29C 64/371 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a metal object, the method comprising:
a) depositing a liquid metal into a reservoir of powder by using an apparatus for extruding liquid metal, the apparatus comprising:
i) a crucible having an upper chamber with a well for holding liquid metal;
ii) a first heating element that at least partially surrounds the crucible;
iii) an interior chamber below the crucible that connects the crucible to a nozzle;
iv) an exterior chamber, having positioned therein a second heating element that at least partially surrounds the interior chamber; and
v) a rod disposed between the nozzle and a solenoid resting above the crucible; and
b) allowing the metal to solidify.